Air Traffic Controller Qualifications

Every minute, every hour, every day, there are men and women working to ensure the safety and efficiency of our national airspace system.
This elite group of more than 14,000 FAA air traffic control specialists provide a vital public service to guide pilots, their planes and 2.7 million daily passengers from taxi to takeoff, through the air and back safely on the ground.
What does it take to become an Air Traffic Controller (ATC)?
Individuals must meet the following minimum qualifications in order to be eligible for an Air Traffic Controller position:
- Be a United States citizen
- Be under the age of 31
- Pass a medical examination
- Pass a security investigation
- Pass the FAA air traffic pre-employment tests, including the Air Traffic Controller Specialists Skills Assessment Battery (ATSA)
- Speak English clearly enough to be understood over communications equipment
- Have three years of progressively responsible work experience, or a Bachelor's degree, or a combination of post-secondary education and work experience that totals three years
Less than 10% of all applicants meet these requirements and are accepted into the training program.
Medical Requirements for Air Traffic Control Specialist Applicants and Employees
Air Traffic Controller candidates must have the capacity to perform the essential functions of these positions without risk to themselves or others. Candidates must be physically and mentally fit and meet standards for vision, hearing, cardiovascular, neurological and psychiatric health.
Applicants for initial employment to Air Traffic Control Specialist positions must meet the following requirements:
- Applicants must demonstrate distant and near vision of 20/20 or better in each eye separately. The use of bifocal contact lenses for the correction of near vision is unacceptable.
- Applicants must demonstrate normal color vision.
- Free of glaucoma, cataracts, chronic eye disease, or history of eye surgeries
- No outer, middle, or inner ear disease, either acute or chronic.
- No active disease of either mastoid (sinuses, ear canal, etc.).
- No unhealed perforation of either eardrum.
- No deformity of either outer ear that might interfere with the use of headphones of the applied or semi-inserted type.
- No disease or deformity of the hard palate, soft palate, or tongue that interferes with speaking. The applicant must demonstrate clearly understandable speech, and an absence of stuttering or stammering.
- No hearing loss in either ear of more than 25 decibels in the 500, 1000, or 2000 Hz ranges.
- No medical history of any form of heart disease. Must demonstrate absence of heart disease through clinical examination and electrocardiogram.
- No high or low blood pressure levels no greater than the appropriate values.
- Must demonstrate to X-ray no evidence of increase in heart size beyond normal limits.
- An applicant under any form of treatment for any disease of the cardiovascular system is disqualified.
- No medical history or clinical diagnosis of a convulsive disorder.
- No other disease of the nervous system that would constitute a hazard to safety in the air traffic control system.
- An applicant under any form of treatment, including preventive treatment, of any disease of the nervous system, is disqualified.
- No deformity of spine or limbs of sufficient degree to interfere with satisfactory and safe performance of duty. Certain limitations of range of motion may be acceptable for certain specific options or positions, in which case acceptance of limitations will be noted specifically for that position or option only.
- No absence of any extremity or digit or any portion thereof sufficient to interfere with the requirements for locomotion and manual dexterity of the position being sought. Acceptance of limitations for employment for a specific option or position will be noted for that option or position only.
- No condition that predisposes to fatigue or discomfort induced by long periods of standing or sitting.
- No medical history or clinical diagnosis of diabetes mellitus.
- Must have no other organic, functional, or structural disease, defect, or limitation found to indicate clinically a potential hazard to safety in the air traffic control system. A pertinent history and clinical evaluation, including laboratory evaluations, will be obtained, and when clinically indicated, special consultations or examinations will be accomplished.
No established medical history or clinical diagnosis of any of the following:
- A psychosis;
- A neurosis; or
- Any personality or mental disorder that clearly demonstrates a potential hazard to safety in the air traffic control system. Determinations will be based on medical case history (including past, social, and occupational adjustment) supported by clinical psychologists and board-certified psychiatrists, including such psychological tests as may be required as part of medical evaluation.
A history, review of all available records, and clinical and laboratory examination will be utilized to determine the presence or absence of substance dependency, including alcohol, narcotic, and non-narcotic drugs. Wherever clinically indicated, the applicant must demonstrate an absence of these on any clinical or psychological tests required as part of the medical evaluation.
The physical impairments/medical conditions listed are disqualifying because there are medical and/or management reasons to conclude that an individual with such impairment/condition cannot perform the duties of the position without unacceptable risk to his or her own health, or to the health or safety of others (employees or the public). See specific requirements in FAA Order 3930.3C.
Annual Medical Review
Air Traffic Controllers must requalify in an annual medical examination. Controllers incurring illness, injury, or incapacitation at any time between the annual examinations must be medically cleared before returning to air traffic control duty. For more information, see Individual Occupational Requirements of Air Traffic Control Series 2152.
Training requirements
Entry-level applicants must complete required training courses and spend several months at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. Applicants are paid while in training. After graduating the academy, individuals are placed in locations across the country and must gain 2-3 years additional training, both classroom and on-the-job experience, before becoming a certified professional controller. This rigorous training includes close supervision and evaluation by senior controllers that ensures controllers are competent, professional, know their airspace environment and can deal with the pressures and high pace of the job.
Specific training requirements can be found in FAA Order JO 3120.4S.
Training is an ongoing process. Every controller undergoes Proficiency Training to maintain the knowledge and skills necessary to remain a certified air traffic controller.