FAA Contract Tower Monitoring and Staffing Improvements

DOT OIG Reports

Published March 24th, 2026

Detected March 28th, 2026

Summary

The DOT OIG reported that the FAA has improved its monitoring and staffing at contract towers, as mandated by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. However, the report found that staffing shortages persist, with contract towers remaining understaffed by approximately 18 percent.

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What changed

The Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT OIG) has issued a report detailing improvements made by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to its Contract Tower (FCT) Program. These improvements, mandated by Section 605 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, include restructuring program administration for better monitoring of controller staffing levels, updating contractual requirements for understaffed or non-operational towers, and enhancing processes for tracking performance levels and operational status. Despite these efforts, the OIG found that the FAA still faces challenges in validating contractor-provided staffing data.

While the FAA also expanded the hiring pool and streamlined training for entry-level controllers, these measures have not resolved persistent staffing shortages. As of April 2025, the FCT Program remained understaffed by roughly 18 percent, attributed to ongoing controller attrition and stagnant wage rates. The report made three recommendations to further improve staffing monitoring and bolster controller numbers at contract towers. Regulated entities, specifically contract tower operators, should be aware that while the FAA has taken steps, ongoing staffing challenges may impact operational continuity and require continued attention from the FAA and its contractors.

What to do next

Review FAA's updated contractual requirements for contract towers.
Monitor FAA's progress in validating contractor staffing data.
Assess internal staffing levels and attrition factors in light of persistent industry shortages.

Source document (simplified)

Audit Reports

Date

March 24, 2026

FAA Took Action To Improve Monitoring and Increase Staffing Levels at Contract Towers, but Staffing Shortages Remain

Origin Mandated by Section 605 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 Project ID AV2026022 File Attachment View PDF Document Our Objective(s)
To assess the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) actions to (1) improve its monitoring of controller staffing levels at contract towers and (2) evaluate training requirements and other factors that may impact staffing at contract towers.

Why This Audit
FAA’s Contract Tower (FCT) Program consists of 266 contract towers staffed by over 1,500 controllers. Section 605 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 mandates our office to examine the adequacy of staffing levels, the supply and demand of trained and certificated personnel, and FAA’s efforts to allow contractors to conduct initial and on-the-job air traffic controller training to candidates that do not have prior air traffic control experience.

What We Found
FAA restructured the FCT Program to improve monitoring of staffing levels at contract towers, but its processes for validating staffing data still have weaknesses.

FAA reorganized the FCT Program’s administration to delegate responsibility for monitoring staffing levels.
FAA updated contractual requirements for contract towers that fall below their full performance level and for towers that are not operational due to staffing.
FAA updated its processes for tracking contractors’ full performance levels, storing documents, identifying and tracking when a contract tower is not operational, and conducting quarterly reviews.
However, FAA still faces challenges validating controller staffing data provided by contractors.
FAA altered training requirements to expand the controller hiring pool, but challenges remain to maintain adequate staffing levels at contract towers.
FAA took steps to expand the controller hiring pool and streamline training requirements for entry-level controllers.
However, these efforts have not improved staffing, as the FCT Program remained understaffed by roughly 18 percent as of April 2025.
Controller attrition and stagnant wage rates continue to impact staffing levels at contract towers.
Recommendations
We made 3 recommendations to improve FAA’s monitoring of controller staffing levels and boost controller staffing at contract towers.