Former FAA Deputy Administrator Mike Whitaker to Lead the Agency

President Biden is expected to nominate Mike Whitaker, a private pilot and the chief operating officer of Hyundai’s eVTOL company Supernal, to be the next FAA Administrator as early as this week, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Whitaker served as the FAA’s deputy chief from 2013 to 2016 under the Obama administration, where he helped improve the air traffic system in the US. He also has extensive experience in the aviation industry, having worked as an attorney for TWA and United Airlines, and as a group CEO for InterGlobe, an Indian travel conglomerate.

If confirmed by the Senate, Whitaker would provide stable leadership for the agency, which has been without a permanent head since March 2022 when former Trump appointee Steve Dickson stepped down. The FAA is currently under the acting administration of Polly Trottenberg, who is also the US DoT Deputy Secretary.

Whitaker would face significant challenges as the FAA Administrator, including overseeing the safety and regulation of the emerging advanced air mobility sector, which includes eVTOLs like the one being developed by his current company Supernal. He would also have to address the expiration of the 2018 FAA Reauthorization in September this year, as well as a series of recent runway incursions that have raised concerns about aviation safety.

Whitaker’s nomination comes after President Biden’s initial choice for the position, Phil Washington, withdrew from the process in May following nine months of delay and scrutiny by the Senate regarding his qualifications.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, msn.com, Wall Street Journal