After nearly 19 months without a Senate-confirmed administrator, the FAA now has someone in charge.
On Oct. 24, 2023, the Senate voted 98-0 to approve Michael Whitaker, President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the FAA.
Whitaker will serve a five-year term ending in 2028, and will become the FAA’s first permanent leader since Steve Dickson resigned in March 2022. Acting administrator Polly Trottenberg, who has been in the role since June, was prohibited from serving in the role past Oct. 25, 2023.
Whitaker — an attorney and private pilot — will be returning to lead the agency where he served as deputy FAA administrator from 2013-2016. Whitaker currently serves as chief operating officer at Supernal, the advanced air mobility subsidiary of Hyundai, a role he has held since 2020.
When he was at the FAA, Whitaker led the FAA’s air traffic modernization efforts as the chief NextGen officer. Whitaker also was in charge of the agency’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Office, the first FAA organization dedicated to UAS operations in the National Airspace System (NAS).
In addition to his work at the FAA and Supernal, Whitaker served as assistant general counsel at TWA. He later led United Airlines as senior vice president of alliances, international, and regulatory affairs. Following that, he assumed a leadership role as group CEO at InterGlobe Enterprises, the holding company for IndiGo, India’s largest airline.
Whitaker’s confirmation was hailed by general aviation’s alphabet groups.
“Congratulations to Mike Whitaker on his well-deserved confirmation as FAA administrator,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “We look forward to working with Mike, whose expertise will help chart a clear path toward a successful future for the aviation community.”
“I am really pleased the Senate took action to confirm Mike and look forward to working with him to help pilots and to move GA forward,” said Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) President Mark Baker. “He’s a capable leader, knows aviation, knows the agency, and he’s a private pilot.”
“This is a transformative time for aviation, and we welcome the experience and skills that FAA Administrator Whitaker will bring to the agency,” added General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) President and CEO Pete Bunce. “We are confident that he will provide the FAA with the stability, leadership, and sound direction that the agency needs.”