US: Trump reiterates his support for US aviation regulator pick

The White House has moved to shore up its support for Donald Trump’s nominee to be head the US aviation regulator, after it emerged he had not disclosed details of a lawsuit with which he is involved ahead of his confirmation hearings. A White House spokesman said on Thursday the US president continued to support Stephen Dickson, the man he selected to take over the FAA earlier this year. The Trump administration is hoping Dickson will restore some stability at the FAA, which has been accused of failing to spot problems with the Boeing 737 Max aircraft, two of which have recently been involved in fatal accidents.  The president’s backing comes despite concerns in the Senate Commerce Committee that Dickson failed to disclose a lawsuit brought by a Delta pilot against her employer when the nominee was a senior company executive. The lawsuit alleges Dickson retaliated against Karlene Pettit after she blew the whistle on safety lapses at the company — something the airline denies. <br/>