Air traffic controller errors increase by 53% in 2010

US Department of Transportation's in-house watchdog stated (12-May-2011) it isn't clear why air traffic controller errors increased by 53% in 2010 (Associated Press, 12-May-2011). Inspector General Calvin Scovel told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee the Federal Aviation Administration has placed large numbers of inexperienced controllers at some of the nation's most complex air traffic facilities. Mr Scovel stated that as of 25-Mar-2011, 25% of controllers were in training compared with 15% in 2004. The agency plans to hire 11,000 new controllers by 2019.