Source: General Aviation News — October 18, 2026
The FAA has brought back its Flight Deck Training program, which lets air traffic controllers ride the jumpseat on commercial, general aviation, and military flights to see cockpit operations firsthand. The program was paused at the start of the pandemic and has now been reinstated in partnership with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. Controllers apply electronically for specific flights, state a training objective, and go through vetting before boarding. They must file a report afterward. Each controller may take up to two commercial or general aviation flights and one military flight per year. All major U.S. airlines have agreed to participate, and the FAA expects the formal program to begin after Thanksgiving 2026.