Eliminates Preference For Former Military Controllers, ATC School Graduates

The FAA says its pool of Air Traffic Controllers lacks diversity and is set to alter its hiring policy, ending a long-standing practice of giving preference to former military controllers and those who have graduated from an approved ATC curriculum.

The change prompted 29 members of Congress to send a letter to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, saying the new policy could be a threat to air safety.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the letter, dated last Friday, asks Huerta to provide a "clear description" of the new hiring practices.

For 25 years, the FAA has had a relationship with as many as 36 colleges that have air traffic programs approved by the agency, and considered those graduates above some others who had not gone through the programs. It also gave higher scores to former military controllers and other veterans. The new policy ends both of those practices.

The agency says it the changes are intended to eliminate barriers that exist for minorities in the hiring process, but in the letter, the members of Congress say that the FAA not only changed its hiring process, "it did so with little or no advance notice or explanation to those planning to pursue an air-traffic control career with the agency upon completion of their studies or military careers."

Those who have graduated from such programs are understandably frustrated with the change.

Concerns over air safety were also raised in the letter. "We want to ensure that in implementing this new hiring policy the FAA ensured the safety role played by air-traffic controllers would not be negatively impacted in the present and future," the members said.

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