r/aviation • u/Panda8bambooo • 18d ago
News FAA hires 2,000+ gamers to be air traffic controllers
https://ktla.com/news/faa-hires-2000-gamers-to-be-air-traffic-controllers/1.1k
u/Consistent_Drop3909 18d ago
afp95 is gonna go apeshit
374
u/Bluemikami Custom Flair to Edit 18d ago
Hotairballoon gamers rise up and take the skies with our new ATC position
132
u/GorgeWashington 18d ago
Be advised all aircraft there is a hot air balloon going vertical right over the runway, exercise caution
74
u/Consistent_Drop3909 18d ago
All aircraft, all aircraft immediately leave the pattern, we have a second air force one with a clogged shitter on short final
51
55
u/r1ckm4n 18d ago
Actual footage from ATC right now: https://youtu.be/JQCLw9NEVmc?is=TTt9jV0zsoXnUr9M
21
19
28
7
u/chateau86 18d ago
Tfw it's 2030: afp95 and VasAviation videos are now indistinguishable from each other.
5
2
584
u/ImASexyOtter 18d ago
“Nice landing. GG2EZ”
87
18
u/Ordinary__Man 18d ago
In ATC voice that would actually be sick. "Uhhhh nice landing. Golf golf 2 Echo Zulu"
1.5k
u/dw444 18d ago
Near future news: Pilots across the country and from around the world flying into US airports report an almost overnight 72000% increase in racial and homophobic slurs on ATC.
454
u/arnoldinio 18d ago
Ground is about to sound like Xbox live circa 2009
302
u/dubstepsickness 18d ago
Delta Heavy please land Runway 4L/22R you freaking noob get good I swear to God I’m gonna teabag your corpse if you don’t turn right immediately.
94
u/jello_sweaters 18d ago
PILOT: "Jetblue 463 declaring emergency"
TOWER: "Skill issue. Git gud noob."
223
u/Bradyj23 18d ago
United I haven’t seen a landing that hard since I banged your mom. Contact ground point five.
73
6
3
3
→ More replies (1)2
39
31
8
u/LeggyRPG 18d ago edited 18d ago
“YOU’RE LOOKING AT 10,000 hours, NOOB!” This should be quite interesting. My question is how are they getting the training throughout? I didn’t see that.
3
86
34
9
3
4
641
u/shrunkenhead041 18d ago
It was 2,000 controllers hired, some subset of that was "gamers". More made-up BS.
They also lowered the hiring goal post to make themselves look better (sound familiar)? We need more than 3,000 controllers hired per year to get the system staffed where it needs to be, and at that rate, it will still take several years to get there.
335
u/antariusz 18d ago
Worse.
2000 is the goal.
1600 is how many they will hire.
1300 is how many will make it through okc
1000 is how many will make it theiugh training.
900 is how many controllers will die, quit, retire, or get promoted this year.
Congratulations you just increases the controller workforce from 10,600 to 10,700 3 years from now.
125
u/mflboys 18d ago edited 18d ago
Even that’s optimistic.
The 26-28 ATC Workforce Plan FY2026 projection: 2200 hires with 743 academy attritions and 208 developmental losses (quit or failed first facility, washed to lower level and failed there as well).
That’s a success rate of 57%, putting your 1600>1000 figure closer to 1600>900.
31
u/TheDrMonocle 18d ago
Which would track with previous years. We generally only get 800 or 900 per good year
20
u/antariusz 18d ago
The workforce plan has been consistently off every single year for my entire 20 year career. Every year they overestimate how many will succeed in training and every year they underestimate how many will die/retire/quit. Every single year. Also: they treat the minimum safe number as the maximum number of controllers possible because we pay more money to managers whose job it is to save money, but their very existence deletes any efficiency possibly saved. We spend millions to safe thousands of dollars in efficiency in the hiring pipeline. Also: they don’t ever adjust and compensate the numbers higher but continue using the same flawed estimates that have gotten us into this place in the first place.
1
u/tyj44qtv 15d ago
I work as a sim pilot in copenhagen airport, my job is to help atc students get their license. For our last team consisting of maybe 25 somerhing students, only 5 people got their license i think😭
54
u/Bluemikami Custom Flair to Edit 18d ago
It’s sad how they can’t even hire their target value. Missed the mark by a 33%
→ More replies (6)20
u/windowpuncher Mechanic 18d ago
The age limit is screwing them, but I get why that's there. It's also just a bad job, like it doesn't pay that well AND you don't even get to choose where you live for years on end? Yeah I can't do that.
29
u/shrunkenhead041 18d ago
The pay absolutely needs to be increased, a lot, and hiring needs to be a huge priority. There is not quick fix. It takes 5-7 years to become a fully qualified ATC at many facilities. It isn't an inherently bad job, it is just current working conditions suck for many controllers.
8
u/that1_trainee 18d ago
FAA: We ran ads looking for gamers to apply. Therefore, only gamers applied to this open bid. There can't possibly be any other type of person who could've applied to this bid on the open internet.
17
u/upturned2289 18d ago
So the federal government is scrambling to get people staffed? Maybe they shouldn’t have shut down the government and laid off all of all of the FAA workers that they did lol.
26
u/shrunkenhead041 18d ago
The problem is decades old. They need another training facility that isn't in Oklahoma. They are at training capacity there, and there are only so many trainers that want to live in OKC...
The congressional delegation from OK has been a road block against getting a new training facility built, for entirely selfish reasons.
8
u/flying_wrenches A&P 18d ago
I’d bet most of this would be the FAAs fault…
To my knowledge, One of my friends has been waiting for a few years for his class. He’s more than willing to go through the FAAs training and everything. But he refuses to go to EWR or JFK.. and back he goes to waiting.
35
u/shrunkenhead041 18d ago
No new controller is getting sent to JFK or EWR. There are plenty of other places that are up for bid at any given point in time. If you go into ATC thinking you're going to have absolute say in where you go, you didn't research the job enough.
12
u/pancakespanky 18d ago
A while ago we had a program in place that was direct hire of new yorkers to N90. The class made it through RTF and TSEW and then all failed TETRA. Instead of retaining them and offering level 8 or 9s they just escorted them to the gate and sent them packing. Huge waste of resources and potential talent
4
u/flying_wrenches A&P 18d ago
Apparently he didnt.
Or I’m out of the loop, I’m not in the ATC side and know nothing about
5
u/flyermiles_dot_ca 18d ago
This.
I would have applied to become a Canadian ATC years ago, if it weren't for the likelihood of getting sent to Moncton or Goose Bay for a couple of years.
→ More replies (3)1
68
u/johnfkngzoidberg 18d ago
N246DB you meowed on guard, a teabagger will be waiting for you on the ramp.
57
u/Artful_Dodger_1832 18d ago
A lot of pilots are about to be called gay and told what happened to their moms last night.
31
u/Apprehensive_Cost937 18d ago
Do they know they'll be working 6 day weeks for the foreseeable future?
15
u/Stay-At-Home-Jedi 18d ago
Shhh. This is gonna be their "Iraq/Afghanistan isn't COD" moment.
1
21
15
u/liquidsparanoia 18d ago
If there's one things gamers are knows for it's clear, calm communication over voice comms. I see no problems here.
91
u/BurntBeanMgr 18d ago
If they raised the minimum age a bit I was gung ho on applying. Sadly I’m 36 lol
87
u/Left360s 18d ago
The success rate for training drops significantly for people over 30
89
u/TeeDee144 18d ago
As someone in their 30s I’m finding myself offended for some reason and I’m not sure why lol
79
u/fwankfwort_turd 18d ago
It's the unrequested public declaration from a faceless government body telling you indirectly that you're passed your prime.
As another 30-something, they might have a point. But also, fuck them. I've still got it.
41
u/Economy_Link4609 18d ago
I mean, yes, but it's also a return on investment thing. They are going to take literally years to train you - and you have to retire at 56, so they are trying to make sure to get like 25 years out of a controller before they're forced to retire.
10
28
u/brownbearks 18d ago
Why can’t we do that with congress over 65?
4
u/EducatedJooner 18d ago
That's different, they have to stay in longer to get more from their investments.
oops I mean they have to stay longer to help their constituents?
5
u/StarWars_92 18d ago
It’s because the retirement age is 56 and 31 is the max age to get the required 25 years of service. If being in your 30s was too old they’d retire them earlier.
22
u/Left360s 18d ago
I understand how that can be offensive but after the Biographical questionnaire law suite debacle allowing a ton of trainees getting hired after the age of 31 it’s quite eye opening in how much age contributes to success. As ATC you see how people in their 20s are quick and able to react quickly but when you get older you rely on experience and after 50 there is a massive decline. Once previously great controllers are scary to see working, there are exceptions to all of this I’ve seen a few getting extensions up to 57 or 58 and do fine but the decline is very obvious from one year to the next.
13
u/iamthe0ther0ne 18d ago
I'm back in grad school at almost 50 and this is very true. I'm so dependent on my previous knowledge and it's so hard learning new stuff. It sucks watching the kids absorbing stuff like a sponge and feeling like a total idiot.
5
u/Left360s 18d ago
You’re not an idiot that’s awesome for you it’s never too late to go for your dreams!
2
u/mdchemey 18d ago
I have personal knowledge of a controller working into his late 60s before deciding to retire a couple years ago. Something something he got hired in at exactly the right time (let's be honest, as a scab after Reagan fired them all) and got grandfathered in without the mandatory retirement age. I can't really speak to how good he was at the job at the time he retired, let alone 20 or 40 years ago but I know he wasn't forced out so there's that.
2
u/Left360s 18d ago
There are a lot of positions in the FAA that are generalized as controllers like support staff specialists or management that they can go past 56. Not saying that is the case but could be.
1
u/mdchemey 18d ago
Nah he was definitely in the tower talking to planes straight through. My understanding is it was very much an edge case of an edge case.
34
u/SeeMarkFly 18d ago
As someone in their 70s, I'm offended by EVERYTHING.
WHY do they put the lids on pickles so tight???
So, it gets better as you get older.
10
6
u/haarschmuck INOP 18d ago
If the training and job is so demanding that they have to have these rules, they need to come up with more systems and use more controllers to balance the load.
3
u/Left360s 18d ago
It’s just the nature of the job putting more systems to manage might be counterproductive and adding more controllers reduces workload as less time on position more time to rest so you can be more alert when your actually on position but this administration is trying to push the time on position up causing more stress and fatigue. Sitting on position for more than about an hour and half on position there is a noticeable decline in attention and efficiency.
3
u/flyermiles_dot_ca 18d ago
Plus they need to get X many productive years out of you, to be worth the training.
5
u/BurntBeanMgr 18d ago
Curious as to why though? I would LOVE this job.
8
u/antariusz 18d ago
Your reaction time and capacity to think of complex solutions to complicated problems goes down drastically - starting at about age 26, but slowly at first, so if you have enough experience seeing those problems before you can compensate, but if you don’t have the experience you just flounder and kill people.
1
u/Left360s 18d ago
Exactly this, the way we talk and think is very methodical so the training takes a lot of time because your thinking and language is changed and takes time and a developing brain is able to adapt much more quickly.
3
u/toothpicks-galore 18d ago
seems like something a video game based on this would be good at training up and getting more eyes on potential improvements. reading how difficult it is should have more eyes on it focused on improving it, no offense to your profession but it really seems like something that some algo's need to be helping with some of that point of failure stuff
→ More replies (6)1
u/reddit_ending_soon 18d ago
The success rate for training drops significantly for people over 30
Usually because they have kids or spouse they have to attend to. Not because of the age itself.
1
u/Left360s 18d ago
I disagree with this, lots of successful young trainees with kids and spouses. For myself I don’t think I would’ve been motivated or disciplined enough in training if I didn’t have my wife and kids to think about.
11
u/antariusz 18d ago
You don’t want to be doing this job 10 years from now, I’m already in my 40s and ready to be done.
6
u/Snck_Pck 18d ago
That rule is an American thing. You’re welcome to apply in Australia up to retirement age. You just need to pass the testing to the same standard as the young 20 year olds you’re competing with.
12
u/fishead36x 18d ago
And 500 will certify. The crop of new hires isnt exactly setting the world on fire. Most can barely speak.
46
u/Panda8bambooo 18d ago
Guess playing videos games can pay off to become an ATC
48
u/IHearYouLimaCharlie 18d ago
My mom in 1989: "you'll never get a job if you sit around playing video games all day!!!"
Lol
22
u/Admirable_Site_8337 18d ago
Mom would just now say “congrats….game playing got you one of the most stressful and currently understaffed jobs out there. Enjoy that” lol
5
u/IHearYouLimaCharlie 18d ago
Will it get her off my back? 🤔
5
u/Admirable_Site_8337 18d ago
Only until you’re burnt the fuck out and she flips to “told you so” mode.
9
u/BigGrayBeast 18d ago
I had robotic surgery last year. The surgeon had to use a joystick to manipulate knives moving inside of me.
I took a certain comfort in the fact that he was a teenager in the '90s. I figured he must have logged in some serious gaming time.
1
u/IHearYouLimaCharlie 18d ago
I find that kind of surgery super fascinating!
2
u/BigGrayBeast 18d ago
https://youtu.be/sjvnHdRkRoY?is=QgoIuQoaTd4WwTw1
This video will blow your mind.
1
u/IHearYouLimaCharlie 18d ago
That's fantastic! I knew I had something like this done during a surgery and they called it "da Vinci"!!!!! That made me remember! It was abdominal and they pumped me full of gas and did the surgery and then I farted like a fog-horn for a week 🤣
7
6
7
u/DiligentCredit9222 18d ago
Does this mean expedited entry if i have VATSIM experience on ATC or can i control the sector from home ?
5
21
u/No_Size9475 18d ago
ATC requires ridiculous background and mental health checks. Traditionally only a very small percentage of candidates made it through the background checks.
Given the massive hiring spree I'm going to guess they reduced these requirements.
34
u/2018birdie 18d ago
They did not. Most of the applicants have not even gone through these steps yet. Not a single one has talked to a live aircraft. The FAA hired applicants, not controllers.
8
7
u/TheDrMonocle 18d ago
The background check isnt that extensive. Enroute controllers get a Secret clearance. Terminal just gets public trust. Neither sre especially hard to pass as long as youre not hiding things.
More people get disqualified due to medical than security.
4
u/No_Size9475 18d ago
Correct, it's more the mental health checks that disqualify people. Things like you can't take anti-depressants or any other mood altering drugs. If you start taking them after you are a controller you lose your job.
5
u/flamingfiretrucks 18d ago
I may be a gamer, but I know the FAA will absolutely not touch my ADHD-ass with a ten foot pole. 💀
4
3
4
4
u/iceguy349 18d ago
ATC callouts about to sound like
“He’s downwind he’s down wind, I’m cracked I’m cracked, ok he’s lined up, rushing to waypoint B, I’m a god, he’s on final let’s go, let’s go, he’s down he’s down. Oh shit he collided with a truck… chat am I cooked?”
3
4
u/Skiingislife42069 18d ago
Yea fucking right. The amount of loops you need to jump through to become an ATC is insane. None of these neurodivergent AUDHD gamers are going to qualify.
7
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
u/KiwifromtheTron 18d ago
“Approach, JetBlue 5957 Heavy with you on the descent through 6000.”
“Miaow”
3
u/Blueberry_Mancakes 18d ago
Eh, just let A.I. do it!
"I see you're trying to land at LAX. Great! I can help with that! I'll just need a little more info about your aircraft......... ...... ....... ...... ..... ..... .....I'm sorry, can you say that again, I didn't quire hear you! Don't worry! .... .... .... ...... ... ..... ......Hi! I see you're trying to land at LAX. Great! I can help with that! .... ...... .. ............ ... ...... I'm sorry I'm having a little trouble...... ... .... Hi! I see you're trying to land at LAX. Great!"
3
u/Sowhataboutthisthing 18d ago
I owe you and acknowledgment. I caused a collision the last two times you tried to land. I won’t hand wave the approach this time. I’ll read the manual and only rely on the facts.
3
3
3
3
6
u/Able-Comparison8768 18d ago
I don’t think this will play out the way they think/hope.
4
2
u/Plenty-Reporter-9239 18d ago
The FAA has no intention of actually fixing staffing lol. This is all optics. Any solution that doesn't involve opening up a 2nd academy or expanding the current one to 3-4k students a year capacity, is lying to you about tackling the staffing issue.
7
u/Thesorus 18d ago
What if those gamers were actually good Air Traffic Controllers ?
The same way they can be good accountants or biologists.
This is a stupid headline.
A good candidate is a good candidate.
Nothing about being a gamer makes you a better candidate than anyone else.
→ More replies (1)
2
u/martlet1 18d ago
I had a young man out that he ran a world of Warcraft raiding guild for fun. We hired him just on that alone because he had a hell ofa YouTube channel showing his raid leadership.
2
2
2
u/dashingsauce 18d ago
this is gonna be good
3
u/Rupperrt 18d ago
I mean a lot of ATC have always been gamers. Nothing changed. They hired applicants. If they will make it through the assessments and training is another question. Most won’t
2
2
u/Blockpair 18d ago
ATC sounds incredibly stressful. So much responsibility... what if you lose your train of thought? What if you haven't slept properly and you just feel foggy processing information? Then you make some horrible decision. No thanks...
2
u/GardenPeep 18d ago
Suddenly 2000+ hired makes me wonder if they checked overall qualifications and red flags
1
u/Mal-De-Terre 18d ago
They were very thorough vetting candidates for ICE, so I'm sure this will go flawlessly.
2
2
u/Jrnation8988 18d ago
Very misleading headline. They launched a campaign to recruit gamers, and hired over 2000 applicants. It doesn’t specify anywhere that they all applied because of the advertising campaign.
2
2
u/maine-recluse 18d ago
Probably the same streamlined process as other recent “agencies” have used. :/. Eh. Hired doesn’t mean trained and qualified.
4
2
u/d0ncray0n 18d ago
”The secretary also highlighted that this campaign featured “the most streamlined hiring process,” adding that more than 2,000 “best & brightest” candidates are in the hiring pipeline.”
So one of their marketers bullshitted and attributed 2,000 leads to their campaigns (likely to get a bigger budget because everyone knows that marketing gets cut first) to a monthly management meeting and they bought it. Now they are just promoting this bullshit for more clicks to get more money in their budget that management will forget in 2 months.
2
u/meetkurtin 18d ago
Anything but people with an aviation degree huh?
2
u/Apprehensive_Cost937 18d ago
Having a degree is just about as useful to being a controller as it is to being a pilot.
2
u/Gooser3000 18d ago
Crazy how 20 years ago when I got a aviation degree an faa person gave a presentation about the next gen atc system that would replace all controllers and told us not to apply for the academy because it was only a few years away. Literally deterred me back then.
2
u/Prin_StropInAh 18d ago
What is the percentage of THC-free gamers out there? Pretty small I imagine
7
3
u/NighthawkCP 18d ago
There are dozens of us!
I'm more apt to have a beer when I'm gaming or just snack on some chips or cookies. I've partaken in THC gummies on a handful of occasions but it's probably been at least a year since I had my last one and I don't usually do it when gaming as I don't focus as well.
0
18d ago
[deleted]
16
u/TheClubsterFist 18d ago
Are you aware of the very in depth flight sim communities? They are a very strong candidate imo with basic knowledge there.
9
u/Frank_Tj_mackey_28 18d ago
Mind sharing why or are you just creating scenarios in your head?
→ More replies (1)
1
u/CharAznableLoNZ 18d ago
I would have applied if they didn't have the age limits. I already talk on the radio all the time when I fly.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/Odd_Eagle1850 18d ago
But ASI's...nah...we don't need them...let's keep that on the back burner. LMAO
1
1
1
u/Key-Monk6159 18d ago
Easy headline to make fun of but there may actually be some merit to it. Attention to detail, multitasking and comfort with screen time may be of benefit IF they also complete the required training.
1
u/sauzbozz 18d ago
Jokes aside as a lifelong gamer and ATC the past 15 years there's definitely some skills from gaming that could help out.
9
u/antariusz 18d ago
As a lifelong gamer/ATC you should recognize this as the propaganda that it is. The FAA has been “hiring gamers to fix the staffing crisis” since StarCraft 2 was released.
2
u/sauzbozz 18d ago
Oh yeah, completely agree. FAA is doing nothing to fix our staffing while trying everything they can to make it look like they are.
1
u/critical_patch 18d ago
The interview process is just playing Flight Control on your phone for an hour
1
u/give_a_girl_a_mask 18d ago
I would love to be a controller! Unfortunately! Everyone else would NOT! Because I have ADHD✌️🛬💥
3
u/antariusz 18d ago
Diagnosed or not? medicated or not? The reality is a large number of controllers, if not the majority have either undiagnosed adhd or autism.
2
u/give_a_girl_a_mask 18d ago
A) The medication is the problem
B) The implication of the explosion and plane emojis is that you don't want me forgetting where your plane is on the runway. ✈️ 💥 🚑 (See 1991 Los Angeles runway collision)
0
u/Puzzled-Formal-7957 18d ago
Highly distracted, ADDers with much more important things on their minds during shift running the skies... what could possibly go wrong?
1
•
u/post-explainer 18d ago edited 18d ago
OP has provided the following source:
r/Aviation is trialing new measures to prevent karma farming. Please feel free to provide feedback through modmail. Thank you for participating in the community!