Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Announces First Texas College to Join Air Traffic Controller Training Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy today announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has partnered with Angelo State University in Texas to implement the Enhanced Air Traffic - Collegiate Training Initiative (E-CTI). Students who pass the E-CTI program can apply to become a controller on a fast track - skipping the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City and jumping straight to on-site facility training.

"Thanks to President Trump, we are unlocking new ways to achieve the American Dream," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. "I'm thrilled our collegiate level air traffic controller training program is expanding to one of our nation's largest states so we can reach more students, fast track careers in aviation, and deliver the world-class air traffic control system the American people deserve."

Angelo State University is the 12th school to be certified as an E-CTI program and the ninth under Secretary Duffy, as part of his mission to recruit the next generation of air traffic controllers.

"We're laser-focused on filling our FAA facilities with the best and brightest controllers," said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. "Expanding opportunities, like this one in Texas, help us strengthen our workforce and continue to protect the safety of the American travelling public."

Under Secretary Duffy's leadership, the FAA has taken bold action to supercharge the controller hiring pipeline, create new financial incentives, and retain existing controllers. We hired 2,028 air traffic controllers in 2025 and are over 67 percent of the way to our Fiscal Year 2026 hiring goal of 2,200 new hires, while we continue to modernize the National Airspace System with brand-new technology that controllers need to run a world-class system.

"To keep our skies safe, we must ensure air traffic controllers have the proper training and tools, given the more than 45,000 flights under ATC supervision each day. I commend the FAA for growing the enhanced air traffic collegiate training initiative with the addition of Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas. This partnership - the first of its kind in Texas - will help streamline the high-caliber education and technical development of these controllers, equipping the FAA with as many talented individuals as possible," said Senator and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

Additional Information:

E-CTI students who pass final performance and written assessments receive an official FAA endorsement certificate. These graduates can then apply to become a controller and be placed directly in an FAA facility to begin training, provided they pass the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) test and meet medical and security requirements.

This is different than the Standard AT-CTI, where graduates still go to the FAA Academy but bypass the introductory Air Traffic Basics Course, having already completed it at their Standard AT-CTI school.

The agreement with Angelo State University is for its control tower program, allowing successful students the opportunity to be placed in an FAA air traffic control tower.

The FAA also offers a year-round hiring opportunity for experienced controllers from the military and private industry and continues to expand its use of modernized simulators that enhance training by immersing trainees in real-world scenarios.