The Importance of Air Traffic Controllers
Every day, thousands of planes fly through the sky, and most of us never think about how they get from one airport to the other safely despite the risk of collision, flying into storms, or getting too close to other planes. Aviation feels automatic, but the truth is that nothing about it is; the entire system depends on human beings we rarely see: air traffic controllers. Air traffic controllers are the backbone of aviation; they are the people who keep the skies safe even when they are overworked, undercompensated, and unappreciated. The problem is that right now, the United States doesn’t have enough of them . A nationwide shortage has pushed many towers and control centers to operate at minimum staffing, with controllers working exhausting overtime hours to cover the gaps. Training new controllers takes years, not months. Many retire early because of burnout. And every time the government shuts down, the pipeline of new controllers freezes. Trainees are sent home, classes are halted...