New Act Eliminates Mandatory Age 61 Retirement for Air Traffic Controllers, But Adds Six-Month Medical Checks

The new Control Tower Continuity Act is making a significant change to federal employment rules by eliminating the mandatory retirement age of 61 for federal air traffic controllers. This is a big deal, because for years, federal law forced controllers out of the tower once they hit that birthday, regardless of how sharp they still were. This bill strikes that requirement directly from the books (specifically, Sections 8425(a) and 8335(a) of title 5, U.S. Code), allowing experienced controllers to stay on the job.

Keeping the Talent in the Tower

For the controllers themselves—many of whom are highly trained, highly paid professionals—this means they get to decide when they retire, provided they remain medically fit. This is great news for controllers who want to work longer, perhaps to shore up retirement savings or just because they love the job. For the FAA, this is a clear move to retain institutional knowledge. Think about it: Training a new controller takes years and massive investment. Letting experienced controllers stay on could help address staffing shortages and keep the system running smoothly, especially in busy hubs.

The New Catch: Six-Month Medical Clearances

While the mandatory retirement age is gone, the bill introduces a crucial safety trade-off for controllers aged 61 and older. The FAA is required to update its health program rules within 180 days to enforce a new, rigorous medical clearance schedule. For controllers 61 and up, their medical clearance will now automatically expire six months after the exam date. This means instead of the standard, less frequent medical reviews, these older controllers will effectively be undergoing mandatory semi-annual medical checks.

The Real-World Impact on the Job

This is where the rubber meets the runway. For an older controller, the benefit of working past 61 is now tied directly to passing a medical exam twice a year. If you’re a controller who has managed your health well, this is a win. However, if you develop a condition that might have been manageable under the old, less frequent review schedule, the new six-month clock puts serious pressure on you. The FAA now has a significant administrative burden, too. They have 180 days to finalize these new, stricter medical rules, and then they have to manage the logistics of processing twice the number of medical clearances for this specific, experienced group of workers. If the FAA drags its feet on renewals, it could lead to unintentional administrative lapses, temporarily grounding controllers who are otherwise ready to work. The whole system—removing a hard age cap in favor of constant medical monitoring—hinges entirely on the fairness and efficiency of these new medical rules.