Sean Duffy Proposes Extension for Current 56-Year Cap for Controllers

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has sparked more industry debate by suggesting an extension to the mandatory retirement age for air traffic controllers. His proposal would offer a pay boost to controllers who work past the current age cap of 56.

“I’m going to make an offer to air traffic controllers to let them stay longer. That’s my authority,” explained Duffy. “I can offer them the chance to stay longer, past the mandatory retirement age of 56, pay them more, give them a bonus, keep them on the job, make the system safer, alleviate the pressure on the controllers. They will make more money.”

He plans to formally present the offer to controllers sometime in the next week in hopes to bring some much needed relief to the US airspace. The FAA is currently 3,000 air traffic controllers short, with less than 1 in 10 airports meeting the standard set by the agency and the National Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (NATA).

While the shortage has been a major concern for years, it recently moved center stage following the fatal mid-air collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in late January. 67 people were killed, making it the deadliest accident in American air travel since 2001. Later insight found that the control tower was understaffed on the night of the accident, though this has not been seen as a direct cause.

Even if 3,000 smart youngsters decided to become air traffic controllers out of the blue, filling the gap would take several years. Air traffic controllers must undergo a lengthy application process, spend months at an FAA training academy, and gain 1-3 years of hands-on experience before being certified.

The 56-year-old age cap for ATC was set back in 1971 to mitigate safety risks. The legislature argued that the high-pressure, fast-paced nature of the role contributed to stress, fatigue, and age-related cognitive decline. However, a 2005 FAA study found that age had no clear tie to operational errors and suggested that “the original rationale for the mandatory retirement of controllers may need to be re-examined.”

On top of the retirement delay, Duffy is pushing for physical upgrades in control towers. He explained that the transportation system is “using World War II technology” that “should have been updated 10, 20, 30 years ago.”

FMI: www.faa.gov