OU announces launch of Enhanced Air Traffic Control program

NORMAN, Okla. ( KFOR ) — The University of Oklahoma and the Federal Aviation Administration announced the launch of the Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program for qualified OU graduates.

The program allows graduates to bypass the FAA Academy and go straight into on-the-job training at an ATC facility.

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Students in the new enhanced program will still have to complete the same background and security checks, medical clearances and skill assessment as they would in the FAA Academy, while finishing their degree.

Students can be put straight into an air traffic control facility for their on-the-job training after finishing all assessments, having qualified for other hiring aspects and completing graduation.

Currently, the AT-CTI program in the School of Aviation at OU is the only four-year Bachelor of Science degree program in the country.

"This honor really reflects the quality of our students," said Stephen West, director of OU's Air Traffic Management program. "The FAA talked with our students a great deal during their site visit and were very interested in what they thought of the program. It's also a reflection on the level of commitment from the School of Aviation, the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences, and OU administration."

The educational program is placed into the air traffic management Bachelor of Science degree and can be combined with the four-year air traffic control degree as a minor while taking an aviation major in order to complete the Enhanced AT-CTI requirements.

The new program is apart of the FAA's efforts to fix their controller workforce , which has seen a decline over a long period of time.

"The FAA is working to hire and train more air traffic controllers, in order to reverse the decades-long decline in our workforce and ensure the safety of the flying public. The Enhanced AT-CTI program is an important part of that effort," said FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker. "We're excited to have these schools become pioneers in this initiative and look forward to seeing more applications from schools as we build out these partnerships."

The application process for the new program began back in April 2024.