COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The United States is currently facing a shortage of approximately 3,000 air traffic controllers, and Ohio State University’s aviation center aims to help address this shortfall.
“Many other collegiate aviation programs include air traffic control, and it’s a component we’ve been missing,” said Brian Strzempkowski, assistant director for Ohio State’s Center for Aviation Studies.
Ohio State University applied to become the 33rd university training initiative partner with the Federal Aviation Administration about six months ago, according to Strzempkowski. The university hopes to receive certification by the fall to offer an aviation air traffic control major.
Strzempkowski explained that offering air traffic control education would give Ohio State students a competitive edge when applying to the FAA Academy. Accepted applicants must complete rigorous, paid training at the Oklahoma City academy for about six months. After graduating, they receive work placements across the U.S., where they must gain two to three years of hands-on experience before certification.
“It will be just as rigorous,” Strzempkowski said. “Think of it as pre-training for Oklahoma City. We’re providing many of the concepts so that when you arrive in Oklahoma City, it’s not as challenging because you’ve already encountered the information.”
Becoming an air traffic controller is a difficult process; according to the FAA, only 10% of applicants meet the entry requirements and are accepted into the training program. Applicants must be U.S. citizens under the age of 31, pass numerous pre-employment tests and checks, and have one year of work experience or a bachelor’s degree. They must also meet strict physical requirements, including 20/20 vision, clear speech, and good heart health.
Strzempkowski noted that the FAA Academy can only conduct a limited number of classes each year, with just 20 to 25 students per class. Even if all available training spots were filled, the U.S. would still face a nearly 3,000-person gap in adequately staffing the skies. Air traffic controllers are also subject to a mandatory retirement age of 56, though Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has indicated plans to allow exemptions as efforts continue to fully staff control towers.
Ohio State boasts its own airport and one of several hundred FAA control towers, though Strzempkowski said it is staffed by a third party rather than federal workers. With FAA certification, students could train in the air traffic control tower, providing a significant training advantage.
“That is very unique in collegiate aviation,” Strzempkowski said. “With that resource literally in our backyard, it’s something we had to pursue.”
In its application, OSU had to outline all the coursework and provide precise test questions. Strzempkowski said the next step is an FAA visit to OSU’s facilities, anticipated to occur this summer, with approval expected soon after.
“It would be the icing on the cake if we could get our junior and senior students into the control tower for real-world experience while they’re still in school,” Strzempkowski said.
Achieving the standard FAA collegiate designation is just the first step, Strzempkowski said. Once approved, Ohio State intends to pursue the 12- to 18-month application process to become an enhanced collegiate program, which would allow students to bypass the training academy and enter work placements immediately.
Only five universities have received the enhanced designation, including Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. Strzempkowski noted that Embry-Riddle uses the same model of air traffic control tower as Ohio State, suggesting a positive outlook for OSU’s prospects.
In May, Secretary Duffy announced a plan to address the air traffic controller shortage, which includes new opportunities for veteran military controllers, financial incentives for training milestones and challenging facilities, expanded instruction, and more efficient clearance reviews.
According to the FAA, the average certified controller makes over $160,000 per year within three years of graduating. Strzempkowski hopes that offering the program at OSU will encourage more students to enter the field.
“When people think of aviation, they often think of pilots and airplanes,” Strzempkowski said. “There are so many different pathways in the aviation industry, and this is another way for people to find their niche.”