the New York Times reports that the FAA is making a recruiting push aimed at avid video game players to fill a national shortage of air traffic controllers. (or, they could simply off to pay them a lot more money to get more applicants!)

The FAA’s new campaign aims to reach young adults who possess useful skills that are transferable to a career in air traffic control, including: Demonstrated high cognitive functions Multitasking Spatial awareness Strategy and problem-solving With only about 25 percent of controllers holding a traditional college degree, this effort is focused on reaching talented young people pursuing alternative career paths, many of whom are active in gaming. Feedback from controller exit interviews reinforces this, with several controllers pointing to gaming as an influence on their ability to think quickly, stay focused, and manage complexity. Approximately 65 percent, more than 200 million, of Americans regularly play video games. https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-and-federal-aviation-administration-unveil https://www.facebook.com/nytimes/posts/the-faa-is-making-a-recruiting-push-aimed-at-avid-video-game-players-as-the-trum/1350828856899574/ https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/10/us/politics/air-traffic-controller-gamer.html https://fortune.com/2026/04/13/why-is-faa-recruiting-gamers-air-traffic-controller-shortage/