ORLANDO, Fla. - With nearly 2 million travelers expected to pass through Orlando International Airport for the Thanksgiving holiday, the weather isn't the only variable that may impact travel times.
Airports across the country continue to deal with air traffic controller shortages.
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According to the AAA, Thanksgiving air travel is also expected to set a new record with an estimated 5.84 million people flying domestically.
Delays can snowball across the country, causing headaches for travelers and an air traffic controller shortage only adds to the troubles.
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Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Mike Whitaker said last week that he expects his agency to use special measures at some facilities to deal with the ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers.
In the past, those facilities have included airports in New York City and Florida.
"If we are short on staff, we will slow traffic as needed to keep the system safe," Whitaker said.
The FAA has long struggled with a shortage of controllers that airline officials expect will last for years, despite the agency's lofty hiring goals.
On Sunday, News 6 reported on a new agreement between the FAA and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to a program aimed at reducing the nationwide shortage.
The Enhanced Air Traffic - Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) will be offered at the university in Daytona Beach, only the third school to offer the program.
ERAU joins Tulsa Community College and the University of Oklahoma to "offer the same thorough curriculum and advanced technology" offered at the FAA Air Traffic Controller Academy in Oklahoma City.
"The FAA is working to strengthen our controller workforce and create a continuous pipeline of talent," said Tim Arel, chief operating officer of the FAA's Air Traffic Organization. "The safety of the National Airspace System and the traveling public is always our number one priority. Working with schools like Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will continue that mission."
Graduates of the program at one of the three schools can immediately start training at an air traffic facility, the FAA said.
According to the FAA, once you graduate from the academy, your salary is about $60,000 on average. The average salary for Certified Professional Controllers was $158,000 per year.
To be eligible to apply, the FAA said applicants must:
Be a U.S. citizenBe registered for Selective Service, if applicable (required for males born after 12/31/1959)Be younger than 31 years old before the closing date of the application period (with limited exceptions)Have either one year of general work experience or four years of education leading to a bachelor's degree, or a combination of bothSpeak English clearly enough to be understood over communications equipmentBe willing to relocate to an FAA facility based on agency staffing needs
The Fall 2024 application window is closed, but you can sign up for the latest updates with the FAA by clicking here.
News 6 reached out to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, the labor union that represents nearly 20,000 traffic controllers, engineers, and other aviation safety-related professionals, but they declined to comment.
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