This story originally comes from KSDK on April 10, 2026.
The Federal Aviation Administration is recruiting its next generation of air traffic controllers from an unlikely talent pool: video gamers.
The Federal Aviation Administration wants video game players to “level up” and apply to become air traffic controllers. The splashy new campaign, including an ad targeted at video game players, comes ahead of the opening of the annual air traffic control hiring window on April 17. The FAA has been battling a stubborn shortage of air traffic controllers, hit by retirements and pandemic slowdowns.
The FAA highlights skills gamers already use, including quick thinking, focus and managing complex situations under pressure.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy shared the ad on X Friday. “To reach the next generation of air traffic controllers, we need to adapt. This campaign’s innovative communication style and focus on gaming taps into a growing demographic of young adults who have many of the hard skills it takes to be a successful controller,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said in a statement.
