Copy that.
How is reverse discrimination NOT discrimination?
As such how is not w wrong that needs to be abolished?
It’s called illegal.
You cannot hire for a position baed on race, religion, etc.
To paraphrase Master Luke, “Amazing. Every thought expressed above is wrong.” Everyone here who has run a massive federal agency raise your hand. Thought so.
You all assume that the skills necessary to do so, have something to do with the title on the Administrator’s door. Simply put, the important word is “Federal”, not “Aviation”
Let’s start with a few simple questions so your heads don’t explode all at once: Is it necessary to have tailwheel time in your logbook to get an ATP and a job piloting transoceanic airliners? Is it necessary to know anything about electronics to run a major TV network? Is it necessary to know C++ to run Meta? Is it necessary to know anything about anything in order to be governor of Florida? Etc.
The skills necessary to running a massive government agency have nothing to do with the purpose of that agency. You might think your pig-farming mother could do a better job of running your state’s DMV, until she gets in there and finds out what it really takes to make that sausage. She might still do a decent job, but it won’t have anything to do with her agricultural skills, or much to do with motor vehicles, for that matter. Familiarity with fertilizer might be handy, perhaps.
It’s all about meetings. Meetings with staff, meetings with stakeholders, meetings with meddling congress-critters, meetings with cabinet secretaries wrestling each other for budget allocations, jurisdictional turf, visibility, and ultimately, the power to do what you were put there to do in the first place. And keeping all those moving parts from colliding.
If you happen to know that the cockpit is in the pointy end of an airplane, that’s gravy, but any more than that is totally irrelevant to doing your job. You’ve got deputies and staff for that. And endless memos.
Don’t question the credentials of a new Administrator, question the sanity.
He’s a Chicago politician? What could go wrong?
Thats why I said it makes zero difference who the administrator is…lot less words
The only “knowledge” required for ANY Federal or State Chief Administrator is a fundamental understanding of politics.
One would initially ask about appointments based upon meritocracy, but since there is none in the FAA to begin with, it is moot question. But as usual Chip D is wrong on this too. Suggesting that it is not necessary to have a decent working knowledge of the industry and organization is normal, regular, and fine is the basest kind of ignorant nonsense.
Really depends on:
- content of character
- smarts to figure out who is telling the truth
- perspective (which includes that nothing is free)
He’s certainly qualified to push the liberal agenda…
‘Suggesting that it is not necessary to have a decent working knowledge of the industry and organization is normal, regular, and fine is the basest kind of ignorant nonsense.’
Nope, it’s spot on. Not realizing the much more nuanced, practical working skills, knowledge and character needed of what is truly necessary for success as Chip ably laid out is the ignorant view.
I’ve worked with the feds most of my career, and can attest to the accuracy of how things need to work beyond the ‘tarmac’ so to speak. The list of successful CEO’s and government heads that have performed beyond their limited knowledge base of their field of work is endless.
Big pharm CEO’s without the slightest knowledge of chemistry, world renown restaurateurs who can only taste good food, mayors with no knowledge of planning or utilities, and on and on.
Just another revealing distinction of the general ignorance of the working class and its grievances.
Good managerial skills and surrounding yourself with knowledgeable people is what is required of a good administrator. The best pilot in the world without managerial skills would be a disaster. I know nothing about the supposed nominee and I certainly wouldn’t pass judgement until The senate hearings take place.
“Good managerial skills and surrounding yourself with knowledgeable people is what is required of a good administrator.”
Agreed.
This begs the next question. How do you surround yourself with knowledgeable people? To pick out the knowledgeable people, you have to have some knowledge of what you are administrating. Good managerial skills come from having a working knowledge of what you are managing to have the insight to surround yourself with knowledgeable people.
Unfortunately, most measure the success of the organization by the bottom dollar at the end of the year. As soon as that bottom profit/loss statement changes significantly in the either direction, in the case of poor profits, he or she resigns to “spend more time with the family”. Or if highly profitable, ends up being picked up by another company enlisted to do likewise. It doesn’t matter in either case the long term viability because expectations of leadership is measured in months and no more than 3-5 years. That’s why these job resumes are filled with major CEO leadership positions that change in very short order in various business venues. “Its all about the economy stupid.” No more no less.
Or in the case of a federal bureaucracy, how do you expand the primarily tax supplied working capitol from year to year. His measure of success as a CEO of an airport has nothing to do with efficiency, customer satisfaction, aviation, nor is there competition from a nearby airport to compare his managerial skills to. He manages and expands income. The more income the higher measure of success, no matter where the money comes from.
That is a perfect fit to maintain the status quo which includes not losing taxpayer supplied dollars from year to year, but also increase the budget from year to year. His military background plays a key role on how he thinks. Whatever he did and managed in the Army was ultimately geared to protect what you have while expanding the budget for more. Military budgets are not managed for efficiency. They are managed for protection and expansion.
His resume is an ideal fit for the times we live in. The name Federal Aviation Administration has the bookend names that is the dominant driver of the middle. Federal and Administration drive or determines the future of US aviation. By its bureaucratic nature, it has to protect what it has and yet expand the income to ensure its growth. Hey, at least he has worked at an airport for 10 months. That qualifies him for the aviation portion. The rest of his resume ensures he handles the Federal Administration portion. Be happy, avgas will be around at least another decade, old airplanes will be older and yet the mainstay of the fleet.
Bureaucracies stifle innovation. And that is the status quo. He will be a great Federal Administrator who heads up aviation. I believe the federal and administration portion will be his focus. Aviation will remain the same as it has since 1957.
“Too bad that all the people who know how to run the country are busy driving taxicabs and cutting hair.” - George Burns.
None of us has a clue what this guy is facing, not even him. All we can do is gauge the results, maybe a year or so from now. In the meantime, speculation seems a little pointless.
I totally agree. It seems like these comments from self proclaimed experts are simply the vitriol of anonymous people spreading bad faith rumors. The comments section here has denigrated into a prime example of social media at its worsts. Most of these comments display total ignorance regarding large organizations, government or otherwise, and the expertise needed to operate them and shepherd the corporate culture towards the organization’s mission statement. Perhaps, what is needed is for AvWeb to appoint an editor, much like newspapers used to do. In short, if you can’t say something constructive, shut up!
Could there possibly be, somewhere up there, a pilot with administrative skills???
More to the point, how about a proven, successful administrator with pilot skills? Gotta be a few of those out there.
'In short, if you can’t say something constructive, shut up!
C’mon, let’s not go there. Be your own editor. Just get smarter, more creative, or less affected. People will happily reveal their resting places without unnecessary provocation.
But maybe grouping them will help…
The late, brilliant George Carlin concluded later in his life, in order to cope with that issue, that he henceforth would see his raison d’être going forward as but to see mankind strictly as entertainment. Not individuals, mind you, he knew of our individual complexities and struggles, but ‘any group more than one.’
It’s all entertainment, if you like, including this idea. Enjoy the show!
Maybe he has aviation experience from the destruction of Meig’s Field?
“The Federation to Abolish Aviation” LOL!