President Trump has nominated Republic Airways CEO Bryan Bedford to be the next FAA administrator.
Bedford has led the regional carrier, which operates flights for the American Eagle, Delta Connection and United Express brands, since 1999. Over that time, Republic has grown from 36 turboprop planes and annual revenue of $85 million to a fleet of more than 200 Embraer jets and $1.3 billion in revenue, Republic's website says.
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Bryan Bedford
"Bryan will work with our great secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, to strongly reform the agency, safeguard our exports and ensure the safety of nearly one billion annual passenger movements," Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.
If confirmed by the Senate, Bedford would replace acting FAA administrator Chris Rocheleau, who Trump appointed in January. The agency's last confirmed administrator was Michael Whitaker, who stepped down ahead of Trump's inauguration.
The selection of Bedford won praise from the airline and travel industries.
The U.S. Travel Association called Bedford an "outstanding candidate" and urged the Senate to quickly consider his nomination. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said he has worked with Bedford for two decades. "I have total confidence in his ability to lead the FAA at this critical time," he said.
If confirmed, Bedford will take over an agency under renewed pressure after the catastrophic crash of an American Airlines regional jet with an Army helicopter near Washington in January.
The crash, which killed 67, has led to a Trump administration pledge to overhaul the outdated U.S. air traffic control system. Duffy last week said he would soon submit a proposal to Congress asking for tens of billions of dollars to complete the overhaul within next four years.
The agency also faces a shortfall of nearly 4,000 controllers.
Bedford would be tasked with oversight of Boeing, where aircraft production continues to be curtailed in the aftermath of years of safety failures. And he would face the challenge of managing the FAA amid staffing cuts being imposed as part of the administration's mission to slash the federal workforce.