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DOT Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford have announced the launch of a new website that highlights over 10,000 ATC modernization projects.
The site, called Modern Skies, will be updated every month on how the projects are going. It provides summaries on key projects and explains how they will make the U.S. airspace safer and more efficient. An interactive map will show the locations are being worked on, with a search engine that can provide anyone with a report on what improvements have been completed and what's planned for the future. A progress tracker will provide a monthly update on how much work has been completed overall.
"One of the reasons past air traffic control modernization efforts failed was a lack of transparency. We're taking a different approach - letting every American get a front row view of how President Trump is revolutionizing our skies," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. "We're forecasting 5.4 million flights from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend — 54,000 today alone. That surging demand underscores why the work we're doing is so important. Ahead of a busy travel weekend, I hope every flyer checks our website as we work to build the safest and most technologically advanced air traffic control system in the world."
Core ATC infrastructure is planned to be replaced using the $12.5 billion from the One Big Beautiful Bill. This includes new radars, radios, surface surveillance systems, electronic flight strips, voice switches, satellites, fiber optic cable, and wireless replacing old copper telecommunications lines. On May 15, the FAA release the 2026 Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan, which focuses on modernizing the NAS, expanding the FAA's hiring and optimising controller efficiency. The plan has a full staffing target of 12,563 CPCs, which is based on forecasted demand. It aims to hit hiring targets of 2,200, 2,300 and 2,400 new controllers in 2026, 2027 and 2028, respectively. This is a decrease from its previous 2024 agency forecast of 14,633 CPCs.
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"The FAA is undertaking the most significant transformation of America's air traffic control system in generations, and we are committed to being transparent and accountable every step of the way," said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. "The American people deserve a clear view of how these investments are being executed and the progress being made to modernize our skies. Now, we're sharing that directly with the flying public as we start the busy summer travel season."