On Wednesday, July 11, the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation met for a hearing entitled, “Eliminating Bottlenecks: Examining Opportunities to Recruit, Retain, and Engage Aviation Talent.” Members called on witnesses to provide insight and testimony on issues related to aviation workforce development, and the challenges and opportunities therein.  

Witness List 

• Matthew “Monty” Montgomery, Department Chair, Department of Professional Aviation, Louisiana Tech University 
• Michael Robbins, President and CEO, Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) 
• Joanne “Jo” Damato, Senior Vice President, Education, Training, and Workforce Development, National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) 
• Dave Spero, National President, Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO 

 Context 

In May 2024, Congress passed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2024, reauthorizing the FAA and other aviation-related federal programs until 2028. The reauthorization bill addresses a variety of issues within aviation, including expansion of air traffic control (ATC) training capacity, requirements for a new training process, and requiring the FAA to establish regulatory pathways for approval of commercial unmanned aircraft to operate beyond the line of sight, among others. Additionally, the reauthorization includes various grant programs and funding for activities related to airport planning and development, equipment, operations, staffing, career development and support in underserved areas.  

In their opening remarks, several witnesses pointed to the significance of the bipartisan legislation. Montgomery noted the benefit of grant programs, as they provide necessary funding that will further opportunities in career development and education. Damato praised the reauthorization mandating recommendations from the Women in Aviation advisory board on issues related to changing culture and supporting women and minorities in the aviation industry. Robbins noted that reauthorization comes at a pivotal time when emerging technologies like drones and advanced air mobility (AAM) are increasingly popular. Robbins added that advancing a regulatory framework related to new technologies will be critical in ensuring that innovation and development of new technology in aviation keeps going and is supported by resources and funding.  

Modern technology and excitement around the aviation industry are present and the witnesses demonstrated the passion and continued interest in the profession. However, the aviation industry has also been plagued by challenges, namely workforce challenges. Shortages in air traffic controllers, technicians, and mechanics have been present in the industry. There are also challenges with fewer certification of designated pilot examiners (DPEs) and instructors for aviation programs at the collegiate level. Witnesses and representatives pointed to workforce challenges as a significant part of increased delays, strain on the current workforce, and inability to support people who are interested in aviation careers.  

Spero discussed how these staffing challenges were related to an incident at Chicago O’Hare airport in June. Responding to Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-IL), Spero explained that there had been a radar malfunction at the airport tower. This malfunction may have been related to severe weather in the Chicago area. The radar feed goes into the Chicago Terminal Radar Approach Control Facility (TRACON), which is the facility that houses various air traffic control operations. The radar feed is a part of a larger system that connects to other airports in the area. Accordingly, there was minimal staff who could exclude the radar feed at O’Hare from the larger system and could not detect where aircraft were, and thus had to order a ground stop to prevent any incidents. Spero highlighted that if there were more people staffed in these areas, the problem would have been solved without many delays. Witnesses and representatives touched on several issues throughout the hearing including workforce recruitment, developing career paths in aviation, and emerging technologies.  

Workforce Development 

Given the relevance of workforce shortages in the aviation industry, many Representatives inquired about issues related to workforce recruitment. Much of the questioning on workforce recruitment centered around what strategies can be thought of to recruit more people into the aviation industry and what challenges exist with recruitment. Responding to Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Spero recommended the development of a technical workforce plan. The process of hiring technical staff (technicians, mechanics, etc.) is cumbersome and not standardized, according to Spero. An overall technical workforce plan will allow the FAA and other parties to determine needs, and capacity around the country and the workforce that can respond to needs and demands of the aviation industry. 

Offering internships and mentoring programs were other recommendations. Damato explained that ensuring an excellent quality of life is crucial. Making sure that caregivers, people raising a family, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, have the resources and support to accommodate their needs as they pursue careers in aviation. Ensuring that employees have an excellent quality of life can ensure retention, keeping people attracted to stay in the industry.  

Responding to Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA), Spero noted that the provisions in the reauthorization addressing staffing issues are good, but need to be fully funded so that the benefit of those provisions is realized. Spero added that losing employees without being able to replace is another challenge. People who are close to retiring have a wealth of knowledge and experience in aviation. If those employees leave without having passed on their experience, that knowledge is lost and there also needs to be new employees at the same time who can absorb that wealth of information. Montgomery noted in response to Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY) the need to improve forecasting workforce needs and trends in aviation, which could assist in determining hiring targets.  

Developing Career Paths 

Connected to the issue of workforce recruitment and retention is the development of career paths into aviation. The witnesses touched on the importance of education throughout the hearing. Encouraging and supporting aviation programs at the high school and collegiate level are critical parts of enabling and supporting people who are interested in aviation to pursue their career. Damato made a recommendation for a national “one stop shop” online resource that provides career development resources to which counselors, instructors, and professionals can direct people interested in pursuing an aviation career. Montgomery noted that someone can be a good mechanic without a college degree, but they can be a great mechanic with a college degree. The point made was that college can provide additional information to strengthen skills in leadership and management.  

There were several barriers to entry that witnesses discussed that exist in career development. Cost is an important barrier to entry. Montgomery noted several times that many people cannot afford to pursue a technical career in aviation because it is too expensive. The financial hurdle to pay for education can deter someone from pursuing a career, even though they may be passionate about aviation. The opportunities in grant funding can help fund programs at school, purchase equipment, modernize aircraft used at schools, or hire instructors. All of these would be useful resources for students and the increased funding for these resources would alleviate the cost burden on universities and students, making it easier for students to afford to fly.  

Damato noted in response to Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI) that there is an opportunity to weave in aviation into STEM curriculums at earlier stages like elementary school and create an environment of support for younger students who may be interested in aviation. Throughout the hearing, the witnesses noted that having the resources available at schools, whether at the elementary, high school, or collegiate level is important so that if someone is passionate about aviation, then they can feel supported to pursue careers in aviation, whether as pilots, mechanics, technicians, or in management.  

Additionally, ensuring that women and minorities are supported is crucial to developing a diverse aviation workforce. Witnesses noted that funding for programs that target underrepresented communities such as women and minorities are important to develop a diverse workforce. Women, for example, make up almost half of the working population in the United States, yet that share is lower in the aviation industry. While the culture has improved, Damato noted that there is still work to do.  

Technology  

Some representatives asked about issues in emerging technologies in the aviation industry. Robbins spent time explaining that the world of unmanned aircraft (drones), and AAM is a new part of aviation. That sector of aviation is small but growing fast. Responding to Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY), Robbins noted that there are opportunities to develop the workforce surrounding emerging aviation technology. With a growing industry, Robbins expressed the need for more regulatory frameworks in place. The proposed rulemaking on beyond line-of-sight use of drones will be important in giving the industry the platform and guidelines to innovate and continue to grow. Additionally, Robbins noted in response to Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) that the world of new aviation technology is ready to build awareness, and grant programs are useful for promoting new technologies, but need to be fully funded to realize their full potential.  

Subcommittee chair Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) asked about how to ensure the FAA evolves to accommodate new technology. Robbins answered saying that the needs for unmanned aerial systems and AAM are different than legacy aviation. The rules for a standard Boeing 737 aircraft may be different than rules for newer drones. Differing skill sets may require developing a new workforce, which entails new training initiatives at schools and colleges. Robbins emphasized the importance of oversight and encouraged the Subcommittee to hold more hearings with the FAA, suggesting that such a move forces the agency to look more deeply into emerging technology through a new lens.