Yearly, the variety of flights in the USA goes up — however the pool of air site visitors controllers who handle airplane runways retains taking place. Fewer air site visitors controllers imply delayed or canceled flights at greatest, and potential crashes at worst. The American authorities has spent the final 12 months making an attempt to deal with this drawback, and its resolution has turned out to be … Fortnite?
Being an air site visitors controller generally is a profitable gig with median annual wages coming in at $144,580 as of 2024. It often takes years of coaching to be totally licensed as an air site visitors controller, or it did earlier than the federal government received concerned. In 2025, the U.S. Division of Transportation launched a marketing campaign to recruit avid gamers into the ranks of air site visitors controllers. The concept was impressed by present air site visitors controllers who stated the interest influenced their determination to take up the occupation — and that gaming helped them sharpen the talents essential to succeed on the job.
Adverts focusing on this demographic depicted a collection of younger males excitedly discussing the chance to merge their love of gaming with a profession that rewards fast decision-making. Interviews with these air site visitors management candidates had been interspersed with footage of video games like Fortnite.
A 12 months later, the fruits of that marketing campaign are starting to bloom. On Aug. 9, US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy claimed that the division had already employed 2,000 avid gamers by way of a streamlined course of that allowed candidates to achieve the academy quicker than earlier cohorts. In a post on X, Duffy emphasised that the brand new system allowed the federal government to recruit the “greatest & brightest” potential candidates. Beneath regular circumstances, solely a small share of air site visitors controller candidates can be accepted into the academy earlier than present process a rigorous coaching routine.
The concept has confirmed controversial with the general public, because the scarcity has arguably been exacerbated by a scarcity of regular pay amid authorities shutdowns. If such practices proceed, then the variety of skilled operators will not matter: nobody will need the job. Current makes an attempt by the federal government to hasten recruitment in sensitive career segments have additionally turned out poorly. Prior to now, air traffic controllers called the chronically understaffed job probably the most hectic on the planet.
Public issues about security on this scenario are comprehensible, however personally? I would belief an iPad child who can construct Fortnite towers in break up seconds with my life.