FAA slashes hiring target, saying it can keep the skies safe with fewer air traffic controllers than it thought

By Aaron Cooper, CNN (CNN) — The Federal Aviation Administration needs fewer air traffic controllers than earlier estimates to be fully staffed, the agency announced Friday. Under the 2026 – 2028 Workforce Plan, 12,563 Certified Professional Controllers will be required, down from the 14,633 the agency forecast it needed for those years in 2024. “Modern