New Certificate Lets Students Skip FAA Academy

Shenandoah University has added an Undergraduate Certificate in Air Traffic Control to help fill a national deficit of air traffic controllers.

Students began taking the initial class, ATC-101, in Fall 2026, and Shenandoah is anticipating the program’s full launch in Spring 2027.

“The air traffic controller shortage is real, and it’s serious,” said Shenandoah University Director of Aviation Studies Tony LaRosa, M.S., a former FAA air traffic control specialist. “I’m proud that Shenandoah is stepping up to prepare students to meet the challenge. The new certificate program will be five courses over two years, and it will give students the credentials needed for the actual career of an air traffic controller.”

On Sept. 17, the FAA announced that Shenandoah has joined its Enhanced Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI). Students who complete the program can bypass the FAA Academy and move straight into on-site facility training in FAA air traffic control towers. Shenandoah is the first school in Virginia, and the 13th in the country, to become an Enhanced AT-CTI certified program.

To qualify, Shenandoah invested in a simulator system from UFA, a U.S.-owned training solutions company. Instructors will use it to help students practice typical traffic as well as emergency scenarios that cannot be replicated without risk.

“The key to training future controllers is the simulators,” said LaRosa. “Our students need the most realistic simulation possible so they can ensure safety on day one. And in a profession like air traffic, which is fundamentally about communication, that means our students need hyper-realistic visuals and voice recognition.”

The system includes AI-enabled speech recognition and response technology, an electronic flight strip board, digital event recording and playback for debrief, and a dedicated instructor station. Shenandoah also invested in a digital tabletop to provide gamified instruction and build team skills.