this post was submitted on 11 Apr 2026
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Do video game players make ideal recruits to be air traffic controllers? The FAA is targeting gamers directly in its new hiring push.

The Federal Aviation Administration is officially recruiting video game players to be part of the next generation of air traffic controllers. Part of that push has been accompanied by a new ad campaign aimed at gamers that uses video game footage and Xbox sound effects to make the pitch that players can earn a six-figure salary by applying their in-game skills to the real world.

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[–] ThatGuy46475@lemmy.world 56 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Idea: atc roguelike, the highest setting is the U.S. where you randomly don’t get paid sometimes

[–] 18107@aussie.zone 4 points 1 month ago

You also have to work 2-3 positions at the same time, without the required equipment to accurately monitor the location of planes, with faulty alarms going off multiple times per day, and you get blamed if you lose concentration for a second at the wrong moment.

[–] RobotToaster@mander.xyz 22 points 1 month ago (1 children)

What do you mean there's no quick load on this game?

[–] Billygoat@piefed.social 14 points 1 month ago

Dude, you can’t save scum your way to coordinating the airspace.

[–] Tylerdurdon@lemmy.world 21 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Future News Headline

FAA under scrutiny after air traffic controller terrifies numerous passengers because he was bored.

[–] solrize@lemmy.ml 14 points 1 month ago

Don't pilots already do that?

[–] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 19 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Here's an idea: offer to pay for their education and give them a stable career with a comfortable salary, comprehensive benefits package, and room for advancement.

Oh, what's that? You won't, because then billionaires wouldn't be able to treat them like slaves? Well, suck it then. No ATCs for you!

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

reagan made it untenable for people to be one, plus very limited age you have to be one, and to retire "early" than 60.

[–] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 3 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Reagan really set us up for a lot of shit that came later.

Someone on Lemmy recently told me that was "great person fallacy." Like what the fuck? No it isn't. The man is directly responsible for a whole bundle of decisions which fucked the US (and the world) over for decades, and we're still dealing with the aftermath. I don't know why anyone would try to defend Reagan, and using an argument against hero worship to do it. Makes no sense...

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[–] _lilith@lemmy.world 15 points 1 month ago (2 children)

oh man that sounds so fun. Let me sign up to work abusive hours in an understaffed underpaid position that requires a high level of skill and multitasking using outdated technology. Also I'll get to fight bees and bats on the way to my un air conditioned office at the top of a tower because the elevator has been broken since 2007

As a bonus sometimes you get to work a second job because the paycheck stops randomly

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

oh and you may or may not get on a waiting list, from what ive heard its quite long and then potentially go in the middle of nowhere to "TRAIN" for like 2 years, and then you have to get certs. and the salary(in cali its around 53,4k starting salary)? its laughable for what you go through. and you dont get to choose locations of employment. Might as well use all that time to become a nurse, which makes way more.

[–] Evotech@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Sounds gamers are over qualified for that

[–] sundray@lemmus.org 14 points 1 month ago

"What's up chat, today we're going to be routing traffic at LAX--whoa, is that Elon's private plane?"

[–] Gust@piefed.social 13 points 1 month ago (2 children)

The FAA wants to recruit children as ATC because most people who have been alive for longer have seen how quickly the FAA will fuck them over and try to get them to work for free while striking is illegal. I wouldn't even consider working ATC before like $150k/yr based on all the "work without pay during the shutdown" fuckery I've seen from the FAA during my lifetime

[–] OpenStars@piefed.social 2 points 1 month ago

The more desperate someone is - and also red-pilled - the more likely that they will accept working under those, or any, conditions.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

i took a quick glance at cali, starting salary, its abysmal low for how long and expensive to become one, at around 53.4k for starters. basically its like being a teacher.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 month ago

It's amazing to me that there are not daily crashes.

[–] Lemminary@lemmy.world 12 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Will they get paid, though?

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 1 points 1 month ago

yes but not a high salary, but a pretty low one if they can BECOME an atc.

[–] Wunz@lemmy.world 12 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Until the next government shutdown...

[–] OpenStars@piefed.social 8 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Wait... but the current one is still going on though!?!? (The 3rd one this fiscal year I mean, since October 2025)

[–] schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

anyone remember 2013 which is when I first learned that government shutdowns were a thing that existed and when they were an extraordinary occurrence? :'D

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

i'm gonna be honest, the idea that the government can allocate funding but not appropriate the funding is sophistry of the highest order

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[–] SeeMarkFly@lemmy.ml 12 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I know my hours of playing Tetris got me a job at the store bagging groceries. Employee of the month!

[–] Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world 7 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Tetris = bagging

Starcraft = air traffic control

Minecraft = architecture

Sims = HR

Pokemon = animal control

Assetto Corsa = Uber

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[–] YurkshireLad@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Bad idea! You know they'll all rage quit.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 month ago

"hello passengers, this is you captain..uhhh.... we're going to have to do another circle around Chicago because ...uhhh...our traffic controller rage quit and called us a bunch of f*gs"

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

the problem is that, its extremely restrictive to get in even to start school, plus you can be over 31, plus other DQs.

[–] njm1314@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

I think I read once that there was maybe two schools in the nation that could certify you. Hell it might have been one. So incredibly hard to get into, and producing an incredibly small number of trained individuals.

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[–] stoly@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

They will all have either psychological issues or previous cannabis use. Both are lifetime disqualifying conditions because the laws in force were written in the 1930s.

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] TwilitSky@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago

This statement will always be true.

[–] curiousaur@reddthat.com 5 points 1 month ago

Strict drug testing as phyc evaluations. You can't even be on antidepressants. Good luck.

[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Oh dear god, they're going to hire AirForceProud.

[–] TonyOstrich@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)
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[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago

Do you want ATC to tell planes to do a barrel roll?

[–] webkitten@piefed.social 5 points 1 month ago

I escaped from the airport in a plane as Trevor in GTA 5. Put me in, coach.

[–] SlurpingPus@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Fun fact: there've been a bunch of ATC simulator games back in the eighties to mid-nineties, but the most successful ongoing series seems to be ‘Air Traffic Controller’, which is of course Japanese. Aside from Windows, it notably includes versions for PSP, DS, 3DS, and several mobile ports that are probably only released in Japan.

Supposedly the series includes layouts of real airports, mostly Japanese ones.

[–] a_wild_mimic_appears@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

A fun game is also Mini Airways, which also deals with managing the takeoff and landing of planes. According to this Game, I am NOT qualified for that job.

[–] SlurpingPus@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

One would think that this game is from the same developer as ‘Mini Metro’ and ‘Mini Motorways’, but nope. 🤔

[–] fodor@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 month ago

Better pay them massive signing bonuses. Otherwise they be like fuck no, thank you kindly.

[–] stupidcasey@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago

From what I know about the FAA they would probably recruit a squirrel if they could get away with it.

[–] DrSteveBrule@mander.xyz 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Who qualifies as a gamer? Are much money can I expect to start off making with my Dark Souls no hit, no bonfire run on ng+?

[–] Cort@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

100k+/year with pension and forced retirement at age 56. But you gotta be under 31 to be hired. It costs so much to train that they want to make sure they get at least 25 years out of you.

[–] tal@lemmy.today 2 points 1 month ago
[–] otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 month ago

Wasn't that a Robin Williams flick?

[–] ryannathans@aussie.zone 2 points 1 month ago

That's been the norm for years in au/nz

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