U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy Visits Oklahoma for FAA Initiative

KTOK By iHeartRadio Feb. 28, 2025

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy visited Oklahoma City on Thursday (February 27) to announce a new initiative aimed at addressing the nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers. During his visit to the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Academy at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, Duffy unveiled plans to streamline the hiring process and increase starting salaries for trainees.

The new initiative will open the hiring window for air traffic controllers from February 27 through March 17, with a revamped five-step hiring process designed to reduce the time-to-hire by more than four months. The initiative includes a 30% pay increase for academy trainees, raising their hourly wage from $17.61 to $22.84.

Duffy emphasized the importance of attracting new talent to the field, stating, "We want those smart kids out there who are making career decisions to consider coming here to Oklahoma City and engaging in what is a great career for your future and for your family." Duffy also plans to request congressional funding to upgrade air traffic control infrastructure, highlighting the need to modernize outdated technology.

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