FAA Administrator Steve Dickson steps down after the 737 MAX debacle
Federal Aviation Administrator Steve Dickson has announced his resignation. As the man who has led the agency through two of its worst crises in history, the aftermath of the 737 MAX debacle and then COVID, his surprise exit mid-way through his term is likely to have rocked the offices of the Administration.
Dickson’s resignation is effective from March 31st, giving the FAA just over a month to secure a replacement. As the job is so high profile, it may be that one of the team is promoted internally on a temporary basis until a permanent head can be found. In an email to staff, seen by the Wall Street Journal, Dickson spoke of the difficulties he felt in being separated from his family.
The leader of the Federal Aviation Administration, whose agency has been criticized for its oversight of Boeing and handling of questions surrounding 5G interference with aircraft, said Feb. 16 he will step down March 31 2022.
Stephen Dickson, a former pilot and executive with Delta Air Lines in Atlanta, had led the FAA since August 2019. He citied separation from his family during the pandemic, saying he told President Joe Biden, “It is time to go home.”
In a letter to FAA staff, Dickson said he was proud of his tenure. “The agency is in a better place than it was two years ago, and we are positioned for great success,” he said.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose department includes the FAA, said Dickson “has been the FAA’s steady and skilled captain.”
In a statement, Buttigieg said Dickson’s tenure “has been marked by steadfast commitment to the FAA’s safety mission … and his lifelong dedication to making sure our aviation system is the best and safest in the world.”
The agency’s reputation was battered before Dickson became administrator for approving the Boeing 737 Max and then not grounding it after the first of two deadly accidents in 2018 and 2019. When the CEO of Boeing seemed to pressure the FAA by saying several times that the FAA would soon clear the plane to fly again, Dickson pushed back.
Dickson released a video in which he told FAA technical experts: “I want you to take the time you need and focus solely on safety. I’ve got your back.”
The FAA finally cleared the plane in late 2020 after grounding it for nearly two years while Boeing overhauled an automated flight-control system that played a role in the crashes.
However, that did not end criticism over the FAA’s oversight of Boeing. Last week, Democrats who lead the House Transportation Committee and its aviation subcommittee asked for an inspector general’s report into why the FAA didn’t take more enforcement action against Boeing for problems with the Max. Wall Street Journal & nbcnews.com