Administrator Goes In Depth on the FAA’s Next Act

Bryan Bedford discusses ATC modernization, MOSAIC, and hot-button issues facing general aviation.

Ryan Ewing

Friday, July 17, 2026 at 08:00 AM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, sitting down for an interview with Firecrown Media Aviation Division president Ryan Ewing, is replacing decade-long plans with Flight Plan 2026 for measurable results.

Key Takeaways:

Bryan Bedford, the new FAA leader with a background in commercial aviation, is driving the agency with unprecedented urgency, aligning its agenda ("moving at the speed of Trump") with presidential priorities for rapid, measurable progress.
A primary focus is the modernization of the air traffic control (ATC) system, targeting a "brand-new" system by 2028 through equipment upgrades and the future integration of advanced automation, AI, and machine learning for strategic flight management.
The FAA is shifting towards performance-based regulations, exemplified by MOSAIC for general aviation and new drone policies, to unlock innovation while streamlining controller training and addressing concerns over airport landing fees impacting safety.
Bedford identifies the severe underinvestment in the FAA's outdated 1960s brick-and-mortar facilities as the most critical infrastructure challenge that cannot be quickly resolved.

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Bryan Bedford took over leadership of the FAA in July 2025 after a long career in commercial aviation, including senior roles at Republic Airways and Frontier Airlines. He is an instrument-rated pilot, an aircraft owner, and one of the few recent agency leaders to arrive in Washington, D.C., with direct experience in both a general aviation cockpit and the airline C-suite.

Some in aviation may also remember him from an appearance on reality TV’s Undercover Boss, a fitting footnote for an executive whose management style has long emphasized seeing operations up close rather than from a distance. So close, in fact, that Bedford can be seen in the show servicing lavatories on a Frontier Airbus jet.