Our Objective(s)
To assess the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) actions to (1) improve its monitoring of controller staffing levels at contract towers and (2) evaluate training requirements and other factors that may impact staffing at contract towers. Why This Audit FAA's Contract Tower (FCT) Program consists of 266 contract towers staffed by over 1,500 controllers. Section 605 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 mandates our office to examine the adequacy of staffing levels, the supply and demand of trained and certificated personnel, and FAA's efforts to allow contractors to conduct initial and on-the-job air traffic controller training to candidates that do not have prior air traffic control experience.
What We Found
FAA restructured the FCT Program to improve monitoring of staffing levels at contract towers, but its processes for validating staffing data still have weaknesses. FAA reorganized the FCT Program's administration to delegate responsibility for monitoring staffing levels. FAA updated contractual requirements for contract towers that fall below their full performance level and for towers that are not operational due to staffing. FAA updated its processes for tracking contractors' full performance levels, storing documents, identifying and tracking when a contract tower is not operational, and conducting quarterly reviews. However, FAA still faces challenges validating controller staffing data provided by contractors. FAA altered training requirements to expand the controller hiring pool, but challenges remain to maintain adequate staffing levels at contract towers. FAA took steps to expand the controller hiring pool and streamline training requirements for entry-level controllers. However, these efforts have not improved staffing, as the FCT Program remained understaffed by roughly 18 percent as of April 2025. Controller attrition and stagnant wage rates continue to impact staffing levels at contract towers.
Recommendations
We made 3 recommendations to improve FAA's monitoring of controller staffing levels and boost controller staffing at contract towers.
