Agency Faces Leadership Transition Amid Recent Aviation Tragedy
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has appointed Chris Rocheleau as Acting Administrator, following the resignation of Mike Whitaker on January 20, 2025. Whitaker stepped down upon President Donald Trump’s inauguration, creating a leadership vacancy at a critical time for the agency.
Recent Leadership Changes at the FAA
Mike Whitaker, who had been confirmed unanimously by the Senate and sworn in as FAA Administrator on October 27, 2023, announced his resignation effective January 20, 2025. His departure coincided with the change in administration, leaving the FAA without a permanent leader during a significant period.
The FAA has seen frequent leadership turnover in recent years, with multiple acting administrators filling the role temporarily. The last administrator to serve a full five-year term was Michael Huerta, who led the agency from 2013 to 2018. Since then, the FAA has had a series of acting and confirmed administrators:
- Stephen Dickson (2019-2022): Nominated by President Trump, confirmed by the Senate, and resigned in March 2022.
- Billy Nolen (2022-2023): Appointed as Acting Administrator but never confirmed by the Senate.
- Polly Trottenberg (2023): Served as Acting Administrator for a brief period before her term ended due to legal limits on acting officials.
- Michael Whitaker (2023-2025): Nominated by President Biden and confirmed unanimously by the Senate. Whitaker resigned upon President Trump’s inauguration.
The next FAA Administrator will need to manage and implement key regulatory efforts, including long-anticipated and long-delayed rulemaking on beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations. Industry stakeholders have been pushing for clearer certification processes and updated regulations to support the growth of uncrewed aviation.
This transition comes just as the FAA must also respond to the January 29, 2025, mid-air collision near Washington, D.C., which resulted in multiple fatalities and renewed concerns about airspace safety.
The Road Ahead
With automation and autonomy playing a larger role in aviation safety, stakeholders continue to push for progress. Rocheleau’s leadership comes at a pivotal moment as the FAA works to update regulations and integrate new technologies into the national airspace
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Â Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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