FAA brings back cockpit ride-alongs for air traffic controllers, paused since the pandemic

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The air traffic control tower at Los Angeles International Airport against a blue sky

FAA brings back cockpit ride-alongs for air traffic controllers, paused since the pandemic

Controllers will be able to apply for two commercial or general aviation flights and one military flight a year. All major U.S. airlines have agreed to take part, according to the FAA.

By Alberto Zamudio | The Southbound 105 | Oct. 18, 2026

The people who guide planes in and out of LAX may soon be riding up front.

The Federal Aviation Administration has reinstated its Flight Deck Training program, which lets air traffic controllers apply for jumpseat access on airline, general aviation and military flights, according to the FAA's announcement as reported by General Aviation News and Aero-News Network on Oct. 18.

The idea: give controllers a firsthand look at pilot workload, cockpit procedures and how their instructions affect the people flying, the FAA said.

Paused since the pandemic

The FAA said it worked with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, the controllers' union, to bring the program back. It was paused at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"After listening to our frontline controllers, we're excited to bring back the Flight Deck Training program," FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said, according to General Aviation News. "Communication is key and this program will give controllers and pilots an up-close view of each other's responsibilities and challenges."

"There is no substitute for firsthand experience in the cockpit," NATCA President Nick Daniels said in the same announcement.

How it works

  • Apply: controllers apply electronically for specific flights and name a training objective.
  • Approval: once approved internally, the FAA sends the request to the airline.
  • Vetting: controllers go through multiple steps of vetting at the airport and again at the airplane.
  • Report: after the flight, each controller files a report on what they learned.
  • Limits: two commercial or general aviation flights and one military flight per year. A controller's air traffic manager will weigh the facility's staffing before approving a request, Aero-News reported.

All major U.S. airlines have agreed to participate, FAA officials said, according to General Aviation News.

What testing showed

The FAA has already been testing the program, Aero-News reported. The agency said it found benefits, including helping controllers understand when not to issue complex instructions, and how much a change in landing runway can add to a pilot's workload.

When it starts

The FAA expects to start the formal Flight Deck Training program after Thanksgiving 2026.

Why it matters for the 105 corridor

LAX is one of the busiest airports in the country, and the planes over the South Bay, Inglewood, Hawthorne and Lennox are guided by controllers every minute of the day. Anything that sharpens communication between controllers and pilots matters to the neighborhoods under the flight paths, and to everyone flying out of LAX. The FAA has not said which facilities will take part first.

Want more local news? Read more at The Southbound 105.

Cover photo: Moto "Club4AG" Miwa, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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