Flying Magazine
• Jack Daleo
The FAA recruited 2,235 air traffic controller trainees in fiscal year 2026, exceeding its hiring target and setting an agency record. The milestone strengthens the staffing pipeline, but the agency continues to face a chronic controller shortage that remains an operational constraint.
ATC
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The FAA recruited 2,235 air traffic controller trainees in fiscal year 2026, exceeding its hiring target and setting an agency record. The milestone strengthens the staffing pipeline, but the agency continues to face a chronic controller shortage that remains an operational constraint.
Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Paraguay have signed a memorandum of understanding to advance a regional “single sky” framework. The agreement signals closer coordination on airspace management and could shape future approaches to cross-border air traffic operations among the four South American countries.
Ryanair’s September traffic rose 4% year on year to 20.1 million passengers, even as the carrier cancelled more than 1,000 flights. The airline attributed the disruption to two UK air traffic control incidents, strike action in Belgium and volcanic activity at Mount Etna.
Virgin Atlantic CEO Corneel Koster discusses the pressures facing the airline, including fuel economics, artificial intelligence and air traffic control meltdowns, in an interview with Gordon Smith at Skift Global Forum in New York.
Thales will supply Ireland with its Ground Master 400 Alpha long-range radar, identifying the system underpinning the Irish military’s first long-range radar network. The acquisition will reinforce Ireland’s air-surveillance capability and provide greater visibility of activity in its airspace.
High activity
The pilots of 21 Air Flight 7598 were unaware of potentially strong tailwinds and touched down nearly three-quarters of a mile beyond Miami International Airport’s Runway 30 threshold, leaving only 930 feet when the captain attempted to reject the landing. Five people were killed.
The airline passenger experience association has joined aviation leaders calling on Congress to fund the $30 billion Modern Skies Act. The proposed investment would modernize the U.S. air traffic control system and improve the passenger experience.
A panel will examine air traffic control challenges after a series of near-misses at Sydney Airport, with preliminary reports identifying controller “resourcing” as a recurring area of enquiry. The review puts staffing and operational capacity at the center of scrutiny over recent safety events.
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