Staffing in federal air traffic control towers and other facilities has been a growing issue for many years. Last year, we received our first brand new controller since November of 2001. We will have another new FAA hire arriving this week, as well as a fresh face from the FAA Academy arriving in January 2008. In the mean time we have lost a lot of staffing to retirement and transfers. We always welcome our new controllers like family and build upon their dedication and desires to do what we do.

As the FAA looks toward the future, their intent is to research new technology and provide modernization programs that would help controllers keep up with the increasing volume of traffic in the National Airspace System.

With most of the money spent on creating new systems, the left over change goes to hiring new controllers. Money is usually a sore subject to discuss unless you’re the one holding it or making a ton of it. It is never easy to put a price on safety.