GREENSBORO, N.C. – Your next flight could be impacted by an ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers.
The Federal Aviation Administration is now looking for video gamers to help fill the gap.
What You Need To Know
U.S. transportation secretary Sean Duffy says there are about 11,000 current air traffic controllers with more than 4,000 in training
The U.S. Government Accountability Office finds that the FAA employs 6% less controllers than a decade ago, while the number of flights has risen by 10% over that same time frame.
In its latest recruitment campaign, the FAA is looking to attract gamers to join the control tower. The agency says it’s focusing on reaching “talented young people pursuing alternative careers paths.”
Christina Baker, a junior at UNC Greensboro, plays strategy and first-person shooter games.
“It feels really competitive, and I like being with a team,” Baker said. “I like to communication and be able to play with friends too.”
She is one of many UNCG students who are learning that gaming can be more than a hobby by helping people improve teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills.
“You have to be able to think quickly on the spot, adapt, and communicate with your teammates well to win the game, or win something,” Baker said.
Baker says games have helped her manage stressful situations.
“Especially when you have a lot of people in your ear at one time when things are getting kind of crazy, you have to work under pressure really well and you just have to be able to be strong enough to not fold under it too,” Baker said.
John Borchert, director of esports at UNCG, says this call from the FAA shows that gaming can prepare people for the real world.
“Playing video games is not just a high tech skill, but a skill that also evolves people’s social understanding, sense of community, sense of team, and in a way kind of complex problem solving around what a real world scenario is that the FAA is looking for,” Borchert said.
Baker, while not planning to apply to become an air traffic controller, says validating gamers is a big step, and she hopes this recruitment effort helps.
“Because a lot of people will down on gamers and be like ‘oh it’s just some little hobby,’” Baker said. “But if you can apply people who have been working on the skill set for as long as I have, or just in general for as many years as they want, it really validates the hard work and effort they’ve been putting into it.”
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says the FAA received a ‘record breaking’ 12,000 applicants within 24 hours of the application window being open in April.
Duffy says there are about 11,000 current air traffic controllers with more than 4,000 in training.
The agency says it already hit nearly half of its 2026 hiring goal, and plans to hire 8,900 more controllers by 2029.
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