Phillip Washington Tapped for FAA Administrator Post

President Biden announced a transit official as his pick to head embattled agency.

Thursday, July 07, 2022 at 03:29 PM ET

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The FAA faces challenges such as managing the rapid increase in demand for air travel following the pandemic, which has contributed to scheduling problems. [File photo: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

President Biden intends to nominate Phillip A. Washington, a longtime transit official and associate, as the next FAA Administrator.
Washington's nomination comes at a challenging time for the FAA, which is grappling with increased air travel demand, scheduling issues, and efforts to restore its reputation for safety.
His background primarily in ground transportation and as an Army veteran marks a departure from typical FAA administrators who usually have direct aviation experience.

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President Joe Biden said he intends to nominate Phillip A. Washington, a longtime transit official, for the post of administrator of the FAA.

The announcement comes at a difficult time for the FAA, which faces challenges such as managing the rapid increase in demand for air travel following the pandemic, which has contributed to scheduling problems. The agency is also still working to repair its reputation for safety advocacy after two fatal crashes of Boeing 737 Max airliners in 2018 and 2019.