FAA Exodus Sparks Concerns Over Fatigue

Krakowski said the FAA recently began offering large cash bonuses -- some more than $20,000 -- to forestall retirements and entice controllers to transfer to other facilities.

Members of Congress say the FAA should have thought about taking such measures before there was a staffing shortfall. "The problem is getting the qualified and experienced hands on deck where they need to be," said John L. Mica (Fla.), the ranking Republican on the House Transportation Committee, who added that he thinks the FAA has done a solid job of hiring.

Many analysts and members of Congress from both parties say they are concerned about the declining number of certified controllers and growing number of trainees.

Trainees cannot work all positions in a control center without direct supervision. Depending on their training, however, there are dozens of air traffic control jobs they can perform without direct oversight, according to FAA officials, who say many trainees are near full certification.

Of the 14,857 controllers on staff as of late December, 11,026 were certified controllers, or 74 percent of the workforce, an FAA official said. The FAA had 2,776 trainees at facilities across the nation, agency officials said.

In 2000, 12,576 controllers were fully certified out of 15,153 controllers, about 83 percent of the workforce, FAA records show. Just under 1,000 were trainees, records show.

The number of certified controllers as of December was at its lowest level since at least 1993, according to FAA records.

Outside experts say the FAA hasn't helped its cause much because it has consistently underestimated the number of controllers leaving the agency.

In fiscal 2007, which ended Sept. 30, 1,559 controllers left their jobs through retirement, resignations, firings or moved to supervisory positions within the agency. A year earlier, the FAA had projected the number would be 1,007. The estimate of anticipated retirements was also off: The FAA underestimated retirements by 185 controllers, or by about 30 percent, FAA records show.

"The staffing situation is as serious as I have seen it in nearly two decades," said Ken Mead, a former inspector general of the Transportation Department.

Because they do not receive annual cost-of-living adjustments under the imposed contract, controllers say they have little financial incentive to stay until the mandatory retirement age of 56. Their pensions are calculated based on their highest three years of salary.

Just under 30 percent of retiring controllers are leaving in their first year of eligibility, according to the FAA. Two years earlier, 23 percent retired at such a time, the FAA said. Only 15 controllers waited until age 56 last fiscal year, the FAA said.

"Once I am eligible to retire, why wouldn't I leave to go work somewhere else?" Forrey said.