Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, commended the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday, August 13, 2026, for its recent surge in hiring air traffic controllers by targeting video game players.

Daniels told NewsNation, The Hill’s sister company, that gaming skills “absolutely” translate to working as an air traffic controller and described the FAA’s approach as an “innovative approach to capture the attention of the American youth.” He added, “For far too long, air traffic controllers have been the people behind the curtain that you don’t really know about.” Daniels emphasized the critical role controllers play in towers, trade communications, and in-route facilities nationwide, ensuring over 55,000 flights arrive safely each day.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Sunday, August 9, that the FAA had hired more than 2,000 air traffic controllers—the most candidates brought on in a single year. The hiring campaign began in April after Duffy revealed the FAA’s focus on recruiting gamers, citing their possession of many hard skills essential for successful controllers and the goal to reach a growing demographic of young adults.

Training for new controllers takes about three months on average, followed by two to three years of on-the-job training, Daniels said. The FAA’s 2026 Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan, published in May, reduced its target from 14,633 controllers in 2025 to 12,563 for 2026. As of August 9, Duffy reported that 94% of the FAA’s hiring goal had been met.

Sources