Senate unanimously confirms FAA administrator after 19 month vacancy

After 572 days without a permanent leader, the FAA has a new Administrator. On Tuesday the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Michael Whitaker to serve as the Administrator of the FAA, the first permanent leader for the aviation agency in 19 months. The Senate voted 98-0 to confirm Whitaker, with Senator Maria Cantwell, Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, which oversees the FAA, applauding the vote. President Biden nominated Whitaker on Sept. 7 and unlike the previous nominee, Whitaker did not meet heavy criticism from Republican leaders.RELATED STORIES:FAA nominee achieves Senate committee approvalFAA nominee testifies at Senate confirmation hearing "Michael Whitaker's overwhelming confirmation demonstrates the Senate's commitment to getting aviation right," Sen. Cantwell said. "There is a lot to do on FAA staffing, technology upgrades, and safety improvements and Whitaker is the right person to lead it." U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg commended the Senate for the swift confirmation. Whitaker's decades of experience in aviation have brought him many supporters, notably those who were strongly opposed to the previous nominee, Phil Washington, who removed himself from the confirmation process in March. A major critic was Senator Ted Cruz, who expressed his support for Whitaker early on. Most of the previous opposition was appeased with the nomination of a candidate with extensive aviation experience and a background as an attorney and private pilot. Whitaker previously held the role of deputy FAA administrator from 2013-2016, lending additional previous experience in aviation and administration. The industry is in a crucial time with a rise in runway incidents and a lack of permanent leadership in the FAA for over a year. "Mike will take the reins at a pivotal time for the FAA, Buttigieg said. "The national airspace is busier and more complex than ever and the challenges are many, from addressing serious close call incidents that have put the entire aviation community on notice, to the need to keep up the FAA's momentum on air traffic control hiring and training, to continuing to be creative and collaborative with airlines to keep cancellations low after the spike in disruptions last summer." "Mike is also well-versed on the critical need to modernize the key systems our national aviation system relies on," he said. "As with all infrastructure, inadequate investments in modernization—from buildings to software--can leave the entire system more vulnerable to failures, so we must work closely with Congress to ensure the FAA remains the gold standard of safety and efficiency." Aviation organizations like the NBAA and GAMA have also praised the nomination. "Congratulations to Mike Whitaker on his well-deserved confirmation as FAA administrator," NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said. "We look forward to working with Mike, whose expertise will help chart a clear path toward a successful future for the aviation community." "GAMA congratulates FAA Administrator Whitaker on his confirmation," GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce said. "This is a transformative time for aviation, and we welcome the experience and skills that FAA Administrator Whitaker will bring to the agency. We are confident that he will provide the FAA with the stability, leadership and sound direction that the agency needs. We look forward to working with the Administrator as the FAA continues its work to further develop an aviation system that is safer, more efficient, and technologically advanced. " "Additionally, we are grateful for the bipartisan leadership of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, which worked to expeditiously move the Administrator's nomination through the Senate," Bunce said. Whitaker gained Senate committee approval on Oct. 18. The nominee was swiftly confirmed, with many in the industry breathing a sigh of relief as the agency finds stability for the first time in a year and a half. He is the first permanent leader in the FAA since Steve Dickson stepped down in March 2022. In the gap between permanent administrators the FAA had multiple acting leaders, like Billy Nolen who led the agency until stepping down in the summer for a role at eVTOL company Archer and Polly Trottenberg who stepped in from the Department of Transportation. On Oct. 4 Whitaker faced the Senate for a committee hearing, telling the members about what his experience will lend to the position and the direction he will lead the FAA in. "We simply cannot become complacent and we must continuously improve as an organization," Whitaker said at the hearing. Whitaker said his pilot's license has contributed to his technical knowledge of aviation systems and t his understanding of the national airspace. A questionnaire was submitted to the Committees Whitaker said he has spent 32 years in aviation, from an early role as an attorney to leadership roles at United Airlines and within the FAA. His experience will be beneficial as he leads the agency in an unpredictable age. The FAA reauthorization bill was set to expire on Sept. 30 and the government was looking at shutting down. Instead, a temporary funding bill was passed to extend government funding through Nov. 17 and which included a statutory authorization of the FAA through Dec. 31.RELATED STORY:Short-term funding bill extends FAA authorization Now, Whitaker must stabilize the agency and provide the public with a sense of safety and reliability in the nation's air travel system. The public is weary after a string of runway incursions and near misses at major airports across the country. With the rise in safety concerns and reauthorization on the line, Whitaker has a big role to fill.