The Federal Aviation Administration is launching a new recruiting campaign that targets video gamers to help address a national shortage of air traffic controllers.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced on April 10, 2026, that the FAA will open its annual air traffic controller hiring window at midnight on April 17. The campaign uses gaming-themed messaging to attract younger applicants with skills such as quick decision-making, multitasking and focus under pressure.
“To reach the next generation of air traffic controllers, we need to adapt. This campaign’s innovative communication style and focus on gaming taps into a growing demographic of young adults who have many of the hard skills it takes to be a successful controller,” Secretary Duffy said in the official announcement.
The FAA has already onboarded nearly 1,200 new controllers in fiscal year 2026, reaching about 50 percent of its hiring goal for the year. Staffing levels are at their highest in six years, according to the Department of Transportation.
Officials noted that only about 25 percent of current air traffic controllers hold a traditional college degree. The campaign aims to reach talented young people pursuing alternative career paths, many of whom are active in gaming. Feedback from controller exit interviews has highlighted gaming as helpful for developing skills such as thinking quickly, staying focused and managing complexity.
The hiring window will close once the FAA receives 8,000 applications. No college degree is required for entry-level positions. The agency has highlighted the potential for six-figure salaries and the high-purpose nature of the work in keeping air travel safe.
The New York Times reported that the FAA faces thousands of vacancies that lawmakers have said affect air travel safety. The agency is using a new YouTube advertisement with flashy graphics and gaming language to appeal to the target demographic.
🚨👀 Watch this…
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) April 10, 2026
YOU can be the future of air traffic control
It’s not a GAME, its a CAREER
Applications open April 17th at Midnight @FAANews pic.twitter.com/JVpgCIeF58
This is part of a broader effort under the current administration to increase controller staffing through both hiring and retention initiatives.
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