The United States Senate voted 98-0 to approve the appointment of Mike Whitaker as the FAA Administrator. Whitaker has long experience in the industry, most recently as the Chief Operating Officer of Supernal, and as a regulator, having held several roles at the FAA. The news of the vote has been widely applauded by the industry. HAI President and CEO Jim Viola commented, “Having worked closely with Mike during my time at FAA, I have seen first-hand that he has the knowledge and skill set to effectively lead the agency.”
Meanwhile, General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) President and CEO Pete Bunce added, “GAMA congratulates FAA Administrator Whitaker on his confirmation. This is a transformative time for aviation, and we welcome the experience and skills that he will bring to the agency. We are confident that he will provide the FAA with the stability, leadership and sound direction that the agency needs.”
Speaking at his confirmation hearing, Whitaker told Senators that his focus in the coming months would be to tackle the personnel shortages, including air traffic controllers, pilots and maintenance technicians, that are afflicting aviation operations and growth, saying, “I would view my role as administrator as chief recruitment officer, certainly for the FAA, but also for the industry.”
