FAA Administrator
--Who Should Be the Next FAA Administrator--
The Situation
President Trump is allegedly considering his private pilot as the new Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA has been without a permanent figurehead since former President Obama’s appointee, Michael Huerta, stepped down after a 5 year term as Administrator in January of 2018 (NPR). President Trump’s personal pilot, John Dunkin has been flying for Trump since 1989 and has a wide range of aviation field experience (Newsweek).
FAA Administrator Job Description
The FAA Administrator, “who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate”, acts as the leader and face of the FAA (49 U.S. Code). The position requires 24/7 attentiveness to emerging issues and the term lasts 5 years (NPR). Responsibilities of the Administrator would include but are not limited to facilitating the mission and objectives of the FAA which begin with “providing the safest and most efficient aerospace system in the world” (FAA). I had a tricky time identifying exact requirements for the position of Administrator outside of “overseeing” and upholding the major responsibilities of the FAA’s safety and efficiency priorities which are, according to the FAA,as follows:
- Regulating civil aviation to promote safety
- Encouraging/developing civil aeronautics, including new technology
- Developing/operating a system of air traffic control and navigation for both civil and military aircraft
- Researching/developing the National Airspace System and civil aeronautics
- Developing/carrying out programs to control aircraft noise and other environmental effects of civil aviation
- Regulating U.S. commercial space transportation
The FAA carries a $16 billion budget and employs over 45,000 people (NPR). Administrators of the past have stepped up from a variety of fields from within the industry including Department of Transportation officials, lawyers, military officials, airport directors, and more. Most Administrators of the past have been pilots or held pilot certifications.
Dunkin’s Qualifications
John Dunkin, according to Newsweek and Bloomberg, has experience in the following:
- Flight department management (corporate and airline)
- Over 20 years PIC experience
- Led certification of new airlines
- Oversaw the “Trump presidential campaign air fleet”
- Currently flying a private 757 “Trump Force One”
Newsweek states “[Dunkin’s] on the list because he's the president’s pilot, but if he gets the job it won't be because he's the president's pilot’ (2018).
Another potential candidate in the running is current acting Administrator Dan Elwell, who was appointed by President Trump last year.
Past Administrators
- Admiral James B. Busey IV (acting Administrator 1989-1991):
- Navy postgraduate school
- 4 Star Admiral, 37 years Active Duty
- Decorated combat pilot, FLying Cross, Legion of Merit etc
- Marion Blakey (acting Administrator 2002-2007):
- Graduate degree in International Studies with focus on Middle East Affairs
- Chairman of the NTSB
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration administrator
- Held offices in both the Department of Commerce and Department of Transportation
Does it Matter?
The person filling the role of FAA Administrator matters. This person represents and leads the Administration and is the point of contact for the Department of Transportation and even the POTUS. However, in terms of my career, I don’t find that the person filling the FAA Administrator role is likely to directly affect my personal path and objectives.
References
Aerospace Industries Association. (2018). Marion C. Blakey, President and Chief Executive Officer, AIA "Our Quality Journey" - Aerospace Industries Association. [online] Available at: https://www.aia-aerospace.org/news/marion-c-blakey-president-and-chief-executive-officer-aia-our-quality-journey/ [Accessed 3 Mar. 2018].
LII / Legal Information Institute. (2018). 49 U.S. Code § 106 - Federal Aviation Administration. [online] Available at: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/106 [Accessed 1 Mar. 2018].
National Air and Space Museum. (2018). Admiral James B Busey, IV USN. [online] Available at: https://airandspace.si.edu/support/wall-of-honor/admiral-james-b-busey-iv-usn [Accessed 4 Mar. 2018].
Newsweek. (2018). Who is John Dunkin? Trump wants his personal pilot to head America's aviation regulator. [online] Available at: http://www.newsweek.com/who-john-dunkin-trump-wants-his-personal-pilot-head-faa-819300 [Accessed 3 Mar. 2018].
NPR.org. (2018). Trump Reportedly Considering His Personal Pilot To Captain FAA. [online] Available at: https://www.npr.org/2018/02/26/588957046/trump-reportedly-considering-his-personal-pilot-to-captain-faa [Accessed 2 Mar. 2018].
You had some ready good information and I enjoyed reading your blog. It seems like the news is focused on Mr. Dunkin because he is Trump's pilot, but is that really such a big deal? I think that anyone that is qualified should have an opportunity to go for their dreams, that is what our country is all about. If everyone became sidelined because of the people they know, no one would be getting positions that they want. Meaning, just because he knows Trump, does not mean he is not qualified for the job, and I also feel that once someone is put to the task, they can come out to be the best possible person for the job. Are all great coaches, great basketball players, or are they just great coaches? It is the same concept. Once this new FAA Administrator is doing their job, then the person could be judged, but for now, let us just hope the right person gets the job and see what happens. Trump is slow to have all of his positions filled and I do not feel that there should be anymore delay with a position of such great importance.
ReplyDeleteI thought you did a good job of laying out the qualifications required for the Administrator position. The past Administrators you included were interesting as well. Both of those previous Administrators had public positions, Admiral Busey IV was in the military and Blakey was in the NTSB. It would be interesting to have an Administrator coming from the private sector with different experiences and perspective.
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