Who should be the next FAA Administrator?

All the research that I’ve seen repeatedly seen is that according to Newsweek, Mr. Dunkin “oversaw the Trump presidential campaign’s air fleet since 1989, which included managing all aviation transportation for travel to 203 cities in 43 states over the course of 21 months.” Administration officials says Dunkin is more qualified for the FAA job than many people may realize according to The Washington Post. Dunkin also managed airline and corporate flight departments, certified airlines from start-up under FAA regulations.

Dan Elwell is the acting FAA Administrator and former American Airlines pilot, who is filing in after Huerta’s departure, is also a candidate to take on the job full-time. Elwell is a former pilot and has served in various roles at the FAA for years. He also worked as an executive representing the airline industry’s trade association from 2013-2015. Republican Representative Sam Graves from Missouri, who sits on the aviation subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is also reportedly a candidate. Bobby Sturgell, a former fighter pilot, naval Top Gun instructor and acting administrator under President George W. Bush who is now an aviation executive.

The current acting administrator, Elwell, is a pilot, was previously deputy administrator of the FAA and a senior advisor on aviation to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. The FAA’s previous administrator, Michael Huerta, was an appointee of Trump predecessor Barack Obama and his term expired in January. Huerta is not a pilot, but he served as FAA’s deputy administrator and was the commissioner of New York City’s Department of Ports, International Trade and Commerce.

The responsibilities of the FAA include: regulating civil aviation to promote safety within the U.S. and abroad; encouraging and developing civil aeronautics, including new aviation technology; developing and operating a system of air traffic control and navigation for both civil and military aircraft; researching and developing the National Airspace System and civil aeronautics; developing and carrying out programs to control aircraft noise and other environmental effects of civil aviation; and regulating U.S. commercial space transportation. The FAA license commercial space launch facilities and private launches of space payloads on expendable launch vehicles.

It’s most certainly important to whom will be the new FAA administrator, they would oversee airports, air-traffic organization, aviation safety, and commercial space transportation which has a $16 billion budget attached to it along with 47,000 employees. Throughout this research there weren’t many articles stating what needs changing and/or improving the FAA. The Washington Post claims that the next head of FAA faces a more daunting challenge than anyone who has ever held the job over the past 60 years. The big change that has been the work for years is the NextGen, an enormous modernization aviation system. The biggest concern here is that airlines are reluctant to invest in NextGen which would cost $200,000 per plane. The FAA along with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) are the two main agencies world-wide responsible for the certification of aircraft.

Lanktree, Graham. (February 26, 2018). Who is John Dunkin? Trump wants his personal pilot to head the FAA. Retrieved March 2, 2018 from http://www.newsweek.com/who-john-dunkin-trump-wants-his-personal-pilot-head-faa-819300.

Laris, Michael and Halsey, Ashley III. (February 27, 2018). As Trump puts personal pilot on shortlist to head FAA, agency faces biggest challenges in decades. Retrieved March 2, 2018 from https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/as-trump-puts-longtime-personal-pilot-on-shortlist-to-head-faa-agency-faces-biggest-challenges-in-decades/2018/02/27/c1ac0102-1b4d-11e8-b2d9-08e748f892c0_story.html?utm_term=.ec20ab8b4fb4.