Here's What It Actually Takes To Become An Air Traffic Control Employee

As air traffic continually increases, the chance of an aviation accident also increases, unfortunately (that's just math). However, with the exception of more minor incidents, like the recent rash of Boeing 737 airplane accidents, there hasn't been a large-scale airplane disaster on U.S. soil since 2009. That is, until the evening of January 29, 2025, when a Blackhawk helicopter crashed into an American Airlines jet from Wichita, Kansas, attempting to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C. The collision caused an explosion mid-air before both aircraft fell into the Potomac River below. All 67 people aboard the plane and the helicopter are presumed dead. 

In the wake of his horrific tragedy, officials are scrambling to find answers. In a controversial press conference on January 30, President Trump appeared to partially blame the crash on DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) requirements, as well as the policies of both his Democratic predecessors, President Biden, who left office on January 20, 2025, and President Obama, who left office before Trump's first term, in 2017. When responding to a reporter asking him for evidence on these claims, Trump explained that he came to these conclusions "Because I have common sense."

These comments make it seem like there are few standards for hiring air traffic controllers, much less anyone working for the FAA. But what does it actually take to become an air traffic control employee? 

When you fly, you'd rather be thinking about where you're going or how to make flying economy more comfortable than about the competence of aviation employees. And that's why becoming an air traffic controller in the United States is an extensive process where safety is a priority. First, you must be a citizen, under the age of 31, pass a security clearance, speak English, have at least three years of work or education experience, and pass certain pre-employment tests, like the Air Traffic Controller Specialists Skills Assessment Battery (ATSA). As air traffic controllers are considered to have some of the most stressful jobs in the world, they also must pass a stringent medical exam, as well as an annual medical exam. "Candidates must be physically and mentally fit and meet standards for vision, hearing, cardiovascular, neurological and psychiatric health," according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Standards cover substance abuse, psychiatric history, perfect vision (without contacts or color blindness), no hearing loss, no heart disease, and no history of seizure disorders. 

If you qualify, you'll be sent to the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. Upon graduation, recruits receive more simulation training in Area Control centers before beginning a two-year period of on-the-job training under direct supervision. It takes a further 1-3 years to become a certified professional controller. The standards are so rigorous, in fact, that in 2023, for example, the FAA reported that out of 15,000 applicants, only 1,500 controllers were hired.

Although the president stressed that DEI initiatives could be a factor in the tragic Potomac crash, the actual statistics within the FAA seem to contradict the idea that the association is uber-focused on diversity hires. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau reports that 78% of air traffic controllers are men, and 71% are white (via axios.com). And the hiring standards are much too strict for anyone not qualified to become an air traffic controller. That doesn't mean the air traffic controller was not at fault, but that the chances of the controller in the tower at the time of the crash being unqualified due to diversity or disability are nonexistent.

Experts are cautioning the public not to make assumptions, and say that a thorough investigation of the crash will provide answers. Still, theories abound. Shortage of air traffic controllers is a nationwide problem, one that Reagan Washington National Airport, as one of the busiest airports in the world, certainly faces. It could also be pilot error, either in the jet or on the helicopter, or some unknown technical error. Perhaps it's due to Trump firing key aviation officials when he took office. Rescuers are tirelessly searching for bodies and debris in the Potomac, hoping to find answers. All that really matters is that the answers give solace to victims' families and give us the data needed to ensure this never happens again.