FAA Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau appeared on CNBC to answer a range of questions regarding the agency and its outlook on the current state of aviation safety. Controller hiring; the Washington, D.C. midair; and the ever-popular “what’s up with Boeing” were on the agenda. But notably, the interviewer asked pointed questions about general aviation operations mixing with airlines in response to the recent runway incursion at Chicago Midway Airport.
Chris Rocheleau seems like the kind of steady hand the FAA needs right now. He has spent his whole career around aviation, starting in the Air Force and then working his way up through the FAA. He knows how the system works from the inside and has dealt with safety, policy, and international issues. He doesn’t come across as a politician or a showboat, just someone who knows the job and takes it seriously. With his administrative and military background and his calm approach, he looks like a good fit to lead the FAA through tough times and keep things on track.
Brian Bedford, the pick for FAA Administrator is deep in the regional airline business which lives and dies with its Major code share. I’d expect him to advocate for airline-friendly policies and let the GA chips fall where they may. Hopefully they address a major increase in simulator integration to put low time pilots in realistic scenarios where they have to use their training to solve unplanned and unscripted problems.