Sec. 843. Federal Aviation Administration Academy and facility expansion plan
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/bill/118/hr/3935/rh/section-843A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
No later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall initiate the development of a plan to— expand overall Federal Aviation Administration capacity relating to facilities, instruction, equipment, and training resources to grow the number of developmental air traffic controllers enrolled per fiscal year and support increases in FAA air controller staffing to advance the safety of the national airspace system; and establish a second FAA Academy.
In developing the plan under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall consider— the resources needed to support an increase in the total number of developmental air traffic controllers enrolled at the FAA Academies; the resources needed to lessen FAA Academy attrition per fiscal year; how to modernize the education and training of developmental air traffic controllers, including through the use of new techniques and technologies to support instruction, and whether field training can be administered more flexibly, such as at other Federal Aviation Administration locations across the country; the equipment needed to support expanded instruction, including air traffic control simulation systems, virtual reality, and other virtual training platforms; projected staffing needs associated with FAA Academy expansion and the operation of virtual education platforms, including the number of on-the-job instructors needed to educate and train additional developmental air traffic controllers; the use of existing Federal Aviation Administration-owned facilities and classroom space and identifying potential opportunities for new construction; the costs of— expanding Federal Aviation Administration capacity (as described in paragraph (1)(A)); and establishing a second FAA Academy (as described in paragraph (1)(B)); soliciting input from, and coordinating with, relevant stakeholders as appropriate, including the exclusive bargaining representative of air traffic control specialists of the Federal Aviation Administration certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States Code; and other logistical and financial considerations as determined by appropriate the Administrator.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate the plan developed under subsection (a). Not later than 180 days after the submission of the plan under subsection (b), the Administrator shall brief the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on the plan, including the implementation of the plan.