The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General announced Thursday that it will begin an audit of air traffic controller training at the Federal Aviation Administration’s Academy. The office cited efforts to increase the number of certified controllers supporting the National Airspace System.
The review follows a February 2025 hiring campaign the Secretary of Transportation announced that was intended to “supercharge” recruitment and drew more than 10,000 applications. About 600 trainees entered the Academy as a result, according to a DOT OIG memorandum. In fiscal year 2024, the Academy faced a failure rate of more than 30 percent, the office’s memorandum noted.
The audit will evaluate the FAA’s actions to address challenges affecting training, including instructor availability, facility capacity and trainee outcomes. It will also examine progress on updating the controller training curriculum.
The DOT OIG stated in its announcement that it is initiating the review “given the importance of increasing the number of certified controllers to safely manage the NAS.”
FAA plans call for hiring at least 8,900 controllers by 2028, while factors such as attrition, retirements and training washouts continue to affect staffing levels.
A recent Government Accountability Office report determined that there remains a serious air traffic controller shortage despite more than 200,000 applicants over the last several years.
The OIG said the audit will start in the coming weeks. Work will be conducted at FAA headquarters in Washington, as well as at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City.
