Duffy blames air traffic control issues on Buttigieg

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sharply criticized his predecessor, Pete Buttigieg, for lowering the requirements to be considered a “best-qualified” air traffic control candidate — a decision he says contributed to high dropout rates at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Academy in Oklahoma City.

Sean Duffy

Speaking on an episode of Pod Force One, Duffy accused Buttigieg of weakening standards that once helped identify the top-performing recruits. “They lowered the standard from 85% to 80% to be best qualified … to get these young people into the academy,” Duffy said. “Well, what happened was, they had a substantial washout rate, 30%-plus, because they couldn’t do the work.” Under Buttigieg, the FAA replaced its single “best-qualified” tier, which applied to those scoring above 85% on the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA), with a two-tier system. The categories labeled applicants as “well-qualified” if they scored between 80-100 and “qualified” for scores of 70-79.9. Duffy argued that the shift not only increased dropout rates but also discouraged younger candidates who faced long delays before entering the academy. “And then it took so long. … You take the test, you pass it, you got an 82%, it might take you two years to get your seat in the academy,” he saif. “Well, if you’re 22 years old, you’re gonna go find a different job. You’re not gonna stick around.”

Air traffic skills assessment

Since taking over, Duffy said he restored the top tier to quickly identify and prioritize the highest scorers. The revised scale now designates “best qualified” for scores above 90%, “well qualified” for scores between 85-89%, and “qualified” for scores between 70-84%. “We’re getting kids, young people, into the academy much faster,” he said. “So, in two months after you take the entrance exam, we’re getting you into the academy. And what we’re doing is, if you’re at 98% on that test [or] 94 [%], you are going to take the top slots as slots become available. So we’re getting the best scores in the academy first. And what we’ve done with that is we’ve lowered the washout rate, which means we can get more young people into towers.”

Buttigieg vs. Duffy

Buttigieg, however, has pushed back against the criticism, insisting that his leadership did not lower the bar for certification. “To be abundantly clear: we did not change the rigorous standard for becoming a certified air traffic controller,” Buttigieg wrote on X. “Those claiming otherwise are mistaken or lying. We did increase funding [and] training, and grew the ATC workforce after years of declining numbers, including under Trump.” Duffy acknowledged that while the ATSA exam remains the best available measure of potential, it is far from perfect. “It’s a tough job,” he said. “And by the way, it’s really hard to figure out who’s going to be good at it. You could get a baker and a candlestick maker that are great at it, and someone else with a math degree that just doesn’t figure it out.”

Staffing shortages

The debate over standards comes as the FAA faces longstanding staffing shortages. This issue gained urgency after 67 people died on January 29 in a midair collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and a regional jet over the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport. Duffy has vowed to accelerate hiring and certification timelines, noting that some graduates could be fully certified in as little as one year in less busy airspaces. “It’s going to take us time to see the fruits of our hard labor right now, but we’re well on our way to filling the gaps in air traffic control,” he said. The FAA has set a target of hiring 8,900 new controllers by 2028.

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