FAA chief Mike Whitaker announces that he will step down in January

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The head of the Federal Aviation Administration, Mike Whitaker, announced in an email to the agency’s staff that he will resign on Jan. 20.

Whitaker’s time at the FAA has been largely dominated by Boeing, as he led the agency’s response to major safety and quality problems at the company and its suppliers. He also worked to hire more air traffic controllers, a persistent challenge as the FAA remains far short of full staffing in that area.

“As I conclude my time at the FAA, my confidence in you to meet our safety mission has never been stronger,” Whitaker wrote in his email to staff. “This past year, air travel rebounded to near record highs but cancellations were at record lows — a testament to your excellence and dedication.”

Whitaker has served as head of the FAA since October of last year, when he was confirmed for a five-year term. It’s not unusual for FAA administrators to resign at the change of administration, though some have stayed longer.

When Whitaker took over, the agency had not had a Senate-confirmed leader in more than 18 months. And there was mounting concern about a series of close calls on runways at major airports across the country.

There have been no major U.S. plane crashes since 2009. But aviation experts worry that the nation’s air travel system is showing troubling signs of stress as it strains to keep up with a post-pandemic rebound in air travel. Still, the FAA made it through a record-setting Thanksgiving holiday travel period with very low levels of cancellations and delays.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle were quick to praise Whitaker’s tenure at the FAA.

“He was confirmed without a single no vote, a testament to his experience, his judgment and his apolitical nature,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, the ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee, said before a hearing on Capitol Hill.

“When he took the job, I asked him to focus on keeping the flying public safe and to stay out of politics. And he has ably led the agency during a challenging period,” Cruz said.

“I am saddened to learn of FAA Administrator Whitaker’s plan to resign next month,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., said in a statement.

“His leadership has been invaluable during this critical time, and our aviation system is safer because of his service,” Duckworth said. “His oversight of Boeing’s ongoing safety issues has been so important, and whoever replaces him at FAA must continue these important efforts in order to keep the flying public as safe as possible.”