FOLLOWING HIS PUSH, SCHUMER ANNOUNCES FAA APPROVES SUNY SCHENECTADY AVIATION SCHOOL FOR PRESTIGIOUS FEDERAL AIR TRAFFIC-COLLEGIATE TRAINING INITIATIVE
Earlier This Spring, Schumer Called On FAA To Invest In Fed Training For SUNY Schenectady’s Program, Amid Nationwide Air Traffic Controller Shortage, To Support Aspiring Air Traffic Controllers And Keep Our Skies Safe
Now SUNY Schenectady’s Top-Tier Aviation Science And Air Traffic Control Degree Program Will Join Very Few Others In Becoming Training Ground For Air Traffic Controllers
Schumer: SUNY Schenectady Is Ready To Help Address Nation’s Air Traffic Controller Shortage
After calling on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to include SUNY Schenectady’s Aviation Science and Air Traffic Control degree program in its air traffic controller training program in April, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer announced the FAA has heeded his calls and approved the program for its FAA enhanced status.
Schumer said this partnership will boost air traffic control education and expedited training pathways to support aspiring air traffic controllers in Upstate NY and make our skies safer, creating a pipeline of local students to enter this high-paying career and address the nationwide shortage. Under this new partnership, graduates of SUNY Schenectady can bypass training time at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma, provided they complete the college and FAA requirements, and be placed directly into FAA towers for expedited training.
“Prepare for takeoff to better address the air traffic controller shortage because the FAA just approved SUNY Schenectady to join their prestigious Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative. As airports continues to struggle with the national air traffic controller shortage, I pushed to have Schenectady join this competitive program because they have proven themselves to be a leader in aviation training uniquely capable of helping equip students with the skill they need to enter this career,” said Senator Schumer. “SUNY Schenectady’s air traffic controller training program is ready to create a local pipeline of students to enter this high-paying field tasked with protecting the safety of our skies. I’m thrilled the FAA heeded my calls and is helping the next generation of air traffic controllers reach new heights right here in the Capital Region. I commend SUNY Schenectady President Steady Moono and the school’s Aviation Program’s leadership for this new milestone and a continued high standard of training of our next generation of controllers.”
SUNY Schenectady becomes the sixth college in the country to be included in the FAA’s Enhanced Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) Program, and the second in New York State in addition to the Vaughn College in Queens. Schumer pushed for this designation writing to the FAA saying that SUNY Schenectady was uniquely qualified for this prestigious training program to help address the nation’s air traffic controller shortage.
“We’re grateful to Senator Schumer for his steadfast support of SUNY Schenectady and his efforts to address the national shortage of air traffic controllers,” said Gary Hughes, Chair of the Schenectady County Legislature. “The FAA’s designation highlights the strength of our Aviation Science and Air Traffic Control program, which equips students with hands-on, career-ready training. With the College’s new Enhanced status, students will have even more pathways to success—including the opportunity for direct placement into an air traffic control facility – and will help keep our skies safer across the country.”
Air traffic controllers across the country have been warning about low staffing levels for years amid an increasing number of aviation incidents, including a month of delays and cancellations at Newark Liberty International Airport earlier this spring due to staffing shortages and outages. As of September 2023, according to CNN, only about 70% of FAA staffing targets were filled by fully certified controllers, with some major airports at less than 60%. Schumer said boosting SUNY Schenectady’s Aviation Science and Air Traffic Control degree program will help support aspiring air traffic controllers and keep our skies safe, and expedite the hiring of controllers through this unique pathway.
SUNY Schenectady runs a successful curriculum for its Aviation Science and Air Traffic Control degree program to train air traffic controllers, including a state-of-the-art simulator that only exists in one other place, and hosted the FAA for a site visit earlier this month. The program, which is run at the Schenectady County airport and SUNY Schenectady’s main campus, recently completed a new Center for Aviation Sciences building and is a leader in aviation safety education. SUNY Schenectady has worked with the FAA for over a year to be admitted into the Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative Program, which provides training at eligible colleges to deliver new air traffic controllers to the workforce faster and address the national shortages.
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