Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor

Date:

Share post:


The head of the Federal Aviation Administration, who has led a tougher enforcement policy against Boeing since a panel blew off a Boeing jet in January, will step down next month to let President-elect Donald Trump name his choice to lead the agency

The head of the Federal Aviation Administration, who has led a tougher enforcement policy against Boeing since a panel blew off a Boeing jet in January, said Thursday that he will step down next month, clearing the way for President-elect Donald Trump name his choice to lead the agency.

Mike Whitaker announced his pending resignation in a message to employees of the FAA, which regulates airlines and aircraft manufacturers and manages the nation’s airspace.

Whitaker has dealt with challenges including a surge in close calls between planes, a shortage of air traffic controllers and antiquated equipment at a time when air travel, and a need for tougher oversight of Boeing.

“The United States is the safest and most complex airspace in the world, and that is because of your commitment to the safety of the flying public,” Whitaker said in the message to employees. “This has been the best and most challenging job of my career, and I wanted you to hear directly from me that my tenure will come to a close on January 20, 2025.”

Whitaker took the helm of the FAA in October 2023 after the Senate, which is frequently divided along partisan lines, voted 98-0 to confirm his selection by President Joe Biden. The agency had been without a Senate-confirmed chief for nearly 19 months, and a previous Biden nominee withdrew in the face of Republican opposition.

FAA administrators — long seen as a nonpartisan job — generally serve for five years. Whitaker’s predecessor, Stephen Dickson, also stepped down before fulfilling his term.

Whitaker had served as deputy FAA administrator during the Obama administration, and later as an executive for an air taxi company.

Less than three months after he became administrator, a Boeing 737 Max lost a door-plug panel during an Alaska Airlines flight in January, renewing safety concerns about the plane and the company. Whitaker grounded similar models and required Boeing to submit a plan for improving manufacturing quality and safety.

In August, the FAA said it had doubled its enforcement cases against Boeing since the door-plug blowout.



Source link

Lisa Holden
Lisa Holden
Lisa Holden is a news writer for LinkDaddy News. She writes health, sport, tech, and more. Some of her favorite topics include the latest trends in fitness and wellness, the best ways to use technology to improve your life, and the latest developments in medical research.

Recent posts

Related articles

The LA county wildfires could be the costliest in US history, early estimates say

LOS ANGELES -- The wildfires that erupted this week across Los Angeles County are still raging, but...

New Orleans attack raises familiar debate: Can Bourbon Street be made safe?

NEW ORLEANS -- The second-guessing began before the bodies had been cleared from the debris of the...

Indonesia and Japan promise deeper defense and economic ties as regional tensions spike

BOGOR, Indonesia -- Japan and Indonesia pledged on Saturday to deepen economic and defense ties during a...

Britain’s Treasury chief kicks off China visit

BEIJING -- Britain’s Treasury chief kicked off a visit to China on Saturday aimed at boosting economic...

'LA Strong' logo and custom gear unveiled to aid Los Angeles wildfire recovery efforts

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles sports organizations are uniting to launch an “LA Strong” custom logo and...

Stowaways on planes and inside landing gear raise worries about aviation security

What is going on with aviation security?People have been found dead hiding in the wheel wells of...

Ski patrollers reach deal to end strike at Utah's Park City Mountain Resort

Ski patrollers at the biggest U.S. ski resort reached a tentative deal with the corporate owner of...

A second oil and gas lease sale for Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge draws no bids

JUNEAU, Alaska -- The U.S. Interior Department on Wednesday said no bids were submitted for this week's...