Washington, DC, United States — Air traffic controllers will regain cockpit observation opportunities under a restored Federal Aviation Administration programme, expected to start formally after Thanksgiving.
The FAA’s 14 October announcement reinstates Flight Deck Training, paused when the pandemic began. It aims to show how pilot workload and air traffic instructions interact.
How participation works
Controllers must request a specific flight with a learning objective. Internal approval precedes the airline request, with further vetting at the airport and aircraft. Participants submit a report afterwards.
The annual allowance is two commercial/general aviation flights and one military flight, subject to staffing needs. All major US airlines have agreed to participate, the FAA says.
The cockpit perspective
Early tests highlighted the workload associated with complex instructions and runway changes. These are agency observations, not measured evidence of fewer incidents.
The useful question for operational teams is how an instruction is received and acted on. A training objective and post-flight report provide a way to turn observation into a specific lesson.