Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Bryan Bedford told a Senate aviation subcommittee that the agency may have lost as many as 500 air traffic controller trainees during the 43-day government shutdown, even though the FAA kept its training academy in Oklahoma City open.
"We lost, I don't know, 4-, 500 of our trainees that just sort of gave up during the lapse," Bedford said, noting that the prospect of not being paid was enough to scare many trainees away. Controllers working in towers and other facilities were not paid during the funding lapse.
Impact On Staffing And Training
The departures represent a setback for efforts led by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to rebuild controller staffing amid aging technology and a persistent personnel shortfall. Bedford acknowledged that trainees already face a high washout rate, and added that replacing lost trainees will take time because the FAA's full training cycle lasts two to three years.
Despite the losses, Bedford pointed to some progress: the number of certified controllers has risen to 10,700 from 10,600, and there are roughly 1,000 more trainees in the pipeline than a year ago. Still, converting trainees into certified controllers will require sustained recruiting, retention and training efforts.
Modernization Efforts
Bedford also updated senators on the FAA's telecommunications modernization, saying the agency is replacing copper wiring with fiber for air traffic control. The project is currently 35% complete and is expected to wrap up by the third quarter of 2027. "We're 35 percent of the way through," he said.
Under questioning from Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Bedford emphasized both the immediate staffing challenge posed by the shutdown and ongoing, incremental improvements to personnel numbers and infrastructure.
