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Great at gaming? US air traffic control wants you to apply

April 10, 2026

The Federal Aviation Administration is launching a recruitment campaign specifically targeting video game players to fill thousands of vacant air traffic controller positions across the United States. The initiative, which builds on a similar 2021 effort, emphasizes that gaming skills translate well to the demands of air traffic control work, offering salaries of $155,000 after three years of employment. The FAA currently faces a shortage of at least 3,000 controllers, with projections indicating the gap will worsen as many current employees are expected to leave by 2028.

Who is affected

  • Video game players/gamers being recruited
  • The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
  • Current air traffic controllers (at least 3,000 positions short of full staffing)
  • Air traffic controllers expected to leave by 2028
  • US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy
  • National Air Traffic Controllers Association and its president Nick Daniels
  • Aircraft passengers and pilots relying on air traffic control safety
  • Victims and families affected by recent aviation incidents (67 deaths from the helicopter-passenger jet collision near Washington DC, 2 pilot deaths from the La Guardia crash)

What action is being taken

  • The FAA is running a new advertising campaign explicitly calling for gamers to apply for air traffic controller jobs
  • The FAA's hiring window is opening next week
  • The recruitment drive is currently being implemented to address the controller shortage

Why it matters

  • This recruitment effort matters because air traffic control is essential to aviation safety, as controllers prevent aircraft collisions and other dangerous incidents at and around airports. The significant shortage of at least 3,000 controllers, combined with projections that twice that many will leave by 2028, poses serious risks to flight safety across the United States. The urgency is heightened by recent fatal aviation incidents, including the collision near Washington DC that killed 67 people, demonstrating the critical consequences when air traffic systems fail or are understaffed.

What's next

  • The FAA hiring window opens next week for interested gaming applicants to apply for air traffic controller positions.

Read full article from source: BBC

Great at gaming? US air traffic control wants you to apply