Here’s the problem with training more air traffic controllers

Oklahoma City — Last month, the Federal Aviation Administration welcomed 600 recruits to its academy in Oklahoma City — the biggest class ever, and a sign, the agency said, that the high-profile push to aggressively ramp up hiring was yielding results.

But behind the scenes, internal documents viewed by the Washington Post showed the agency was scrambling. A shortage of qualified instructors for air traffic controllers — a problem even before the surge in enrollment — was forcing managers to plead with those on staff to pick up extra shifts, even though many are already putting in 60-hour weeks.

“If you’re feeling brave, caffeinated, and ready to be a legend, I’m looking for volunteers to work a double shift in the mini lab for RPO training on these days,” read one email viewed by the P