Trump nominates longtime airline executive to lead F.A.A.

President Trump on Monday chose Bryan Bedford, a longtime airline industry executive, to lead the Federal Aviation Administration. Since 1999, Bedford has been the president and CE at Republic Airways, which operates flights for the three largest U.S. airlines. In a statement on social media, Trump praised Bedford’s experience in aviation and executive leadership. “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. The F.A.A. has been without a confirmed leader since Trump took office two months ago. The agency’s previous administrator, Mike Whitaker, resigned on Jan. 20, a little more than a year into his five-year term. Chris Rocheleau is the aviation safety agency’s acting administrator. If confirmed, Bedford would take the helm at the F.A.A. when it is still reeling from one of the deadliest U.S. commercial plane crashes since 2009. On Jan. 29, an American Airlines flight and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided near Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport, killing 67 people. Bedford would also have a number of pressing concerns that have caught the attention of Trump and Duffy. Those include addressing the air traffic controller shortage and upgrading the outdated systems they use to do their jobs. Bedford’s appointment was welcomed within the industry.<br/>