Following on from Aviation Sub-Committee approval, Bryan Bedford’s nomination as Administrator of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has cleared another hurdle in the US Senate with the full Commerce Committee supporting the nomination which will now go before the entire Senate for an approval vote.
Bedford’s nomination is widely supported among the aviation industry’s alphabet soup of interest and lobby groups including VAI with Chief Operating Officer Mike Hertzendorf urging the full Senate confirm the nomination “From modernising air traffic control to integrating unmanned aircraft systems (UASs, or drones) into the National Airspace System (NAS), the FAA faces a critical moment. Bryan Bedford’s industry expertise and leadership make him exceptionally well-qualified to guide the agency through this period of rapid innovation and operational complexity.”
While most within the beltway are fulsome in their support one group, Air Line Pilot’s Association(ALPA) while not opposing the nomination is noticeably tepid in their response. In truth much their enthusiasm is primarily dulled by Bedford’s support for a removal of the 1,500 hour minimum requirement for airline pilots as CEO of Republic Airlines. Even so, association President Capt. Jason Ambrosi has said ALPA looks forward to working with Bedford.
Image: Republic Airlines
