Biden names deputy transportation secretary as new acting FAA chief

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News

June 8, 2023, 9:34 PM EDT

Deputy Transportation Secretary Polly Trottenberg will serve as the next acting Federal Aviation Administration administrator, the White House announced Thursday. She currently works with Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg on "leadership and strategic vision" for their department, according to her DOT biography page.

The high ranking Transportation Department official previously served in the Obama administration and as New York City's Transportation Commissioner.

Trottenberg will replace acting FAA administrator Billy Nolen, who announced in April that he would be stepping down this summer, writing in a letter to colleagues that "it is time for a new captain to guide the FAA."

"I leave the FAA knowing the agency is in good hands," Nolen said in a video statement posted Wednesday. "My successor will lead with integrity and passion for our safety mission, and I know that you will provide the new acting administrator with the same support that you provided me."

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/biden-names-deputy-transportation-secretary-new-acting-faa-chief-rcna88416

[Cheezoholic]

1. Can she or as she ever flown an aircraft?

The NTSB and the FAA are killing GA because of bureaucratic leadership that may be great administrators but seem to at times have no clue how an aircraft works, especially when it comes to General Aviation. In a recent GA crash investigation (I'll find the link, its searchable) and hearing testimony to determine cause a person that was representing the NTSB/FAA didn't even know what an aileron was.

I get the NTSB/FAA has to manage the huge and vitally important commercial air industry and in general they do very well at that very hard job. But seriously, we need a separate subdivision under the FAA for General Aviation that is less bureaucratic and more aviator driven, headed by aviators or at least people with aviation experience. GA is a whole different ball game than commercial aviation. I'm tired of seeing GA crash investigations always ending in "pilot error".

Better training and leadership and like everything else people that can and will fight these DAMN INSURERS!

Just my nickle

[BumRushDaShow]

2. Remember that this is just a "placeholder" appointment

because the previous Acting stepped down and Biden has so far been unable to get a permanent FAA Administrator confirmed. They normally put someone who is in a related position and who has already been through a confirmation process, into those Acting positions.

[Major Nikon]

3. All things being equal I think a non-pilot is better than a former airline pilot for GA

In the past 20 years or so the FAA has gotten very friendly with the airline industry, often at the expense of GA. In that time ATC service has transitioned from a "first come, first served" model to a "best equipped, first served" model that will always favor the airlines at the expense of GA.

The NTSB does a pretty good job of assessing pilot error as a probable cause when it comes to GA accidents because most of them are pilot error. The number 1 cause of GA engine failures is still fuel exhaustion. This virtually never happens under part 121 operations. Even with exhaustive efforts to remove the pilot error cause within the airlines, it's still a major factor. Without such a regimented structure, GA has a much bigger hill to climb in regards to reducing those types of accidents.