FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker has announced that he will step-down in advance of the start of President Trump’s term. This will allow President Trump to nominate a replacement.
Whitaker had been nominated by President Biden after a significant career in aviation. He was confirmed by the Senate on October 24, 2023 to a five year term as FAA Administrator. Because he as only one year into his five year term, this was unexpected by many in the industry. If he had remained for his full term, the next FAA Administrator would have been subject to nomination by President Trump late in the President’s own four-year term (in late 2028).
Whitaker was known as a proponent of safety management, so his exodus leaves some question about the next Administrator’s potential commitment to safety management as a guiding paradigm.