The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport could gain a new pipeline of air traffic controllers under a $5 million state-funded program launching at Eastern Kentucky University in spring 2027.
CVG's CEO called the initiative "transformational" in a Spectrum News 1 report published Aug. 6, saying it fills a regional gap in aviation education. He said EKU can serve Kentucky, Ohio and surrounding states that lacked a nearby program training future controllers.
The stakes are local. CVG in Hebron is one of Boone County's largest economic engines, home to Amazon Air's cargo hub and DHL's North America super-hub. Air traffic controllers are essential to keeping those operations running, and the FAA is roughly 3,500 controllers short of its staffing targets nationwide, according to a December 2025 Government Accountability Office report cited by Fortune.
The number of FAA controllers fell 6% over the past decade even as flights using the system rose 10%. Only about 2% of applicants ultimately become certified controllers because the vetting and training process takes two to five years.
EKU's new Air Traffic Management Program will offer two credentials: an associate degree already approved and a bachelor's concentration pending accreditation review. Students will train on FAA-certified tower, radar and advanced flight simulation systems, according to EKU's announcement. The university plans to pursue enhanced FAA training designation, which could give graduates a faster path into the workforce.
Beyond the $5 million in startup funding from the Kentucky General Assembly, the state will provide $1.5 million in annual operational support once the program is running.
Tim Holt, chair of EKU's School of Aviation, said students already gain hands-on experience managing the airfield and working dispatch at Central Kentucky Regional Airport in Richmond, the second-busiest general aviation facility in Kentucky with roughly 80,000 to 90,000 annual operations. That model will extend to air traffic management.
"What you see behind me, those are students. So students are helping manage the airfield. Students are working in dispatch," Holt said. "It's not just a matter of you're here as a student, you're gaining practical job experience while you're here. That's big."
EKU's aviation program currently enrolls more than 500 students, with enrollment up 140% over the past few years and job placement rates between 98% and 100%. The university is also building an Aerospace Education Complex at the airport, which broke ground in November 2024 and is projected for completion in 2027.
Don Bornhorst, a former FAA Chief Administrative Officer and EKU alumnus, said the General Assembly's investment strengthens Kentucky's and the nation's critical aviation workforce pipeline. EKU President David McFaddin called the school the flagship aviation program of the Commonwealth and said the funding expands opportunities in one of the country's highest-demand fields.
The program's spring 2027 launch is the next milestone. No enrollment deadline or application window has been announced.
