FAA deputy administrator new pilot

FAA Deputy Administrator Michael Whitaker, who is responsible for helping to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the National Airspace System, recently took his private pilot checkride — and told officials with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association that he “felt the pressure,” noting it “wouldn’t be acceptable” not to pass. In a blog post at AOPA.org, Whitaker relates that he was motivated to learn to fly for his own edification and because of his job — so he could understand technologies beyond the intellectual level and so he could better understand general aviation issues. Read the full report here.