What is the ATC Retirement Age and Why It Matters The ATC retirement age is set at 56 for federally employed controllers. This age cap exists because of the mental acuity and alertness required to safely guide aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) determined that after this age, performance may begin to decline, putting passengers and pilots at risk. The retirement age... https://www.federalpensionadvisors.com/post/air-traffic-controller-retirement