WASHINGTON — Acting Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Billy Nolen said Friday he will leave this summer, exacerbating a leadership void at the agency.
The departure of Mr. Nolen, a former pilot and airline industry executive, was announced in a letter to FAA employees. The move puts additional pressure on the White House to find a permanent leader for the agency, which faces a series of security concerns and staffing challenges.
The aviation regulator has been without permanent leadership since Stephen Dickson, a former Delta Air Lines executive appointed by President Donald J. Trump, stepped down a year ago.
Last month, President Biden’s choice to lead the FAA, Phillip A. Washington, drew his name under consideration after a series of attacks from Republicans on his qualifications to hold the position. They had argued that Mr. Washington, the CEO of Denver International Airport, lacked aviation experience, and questioned his connection to a Los Angeles corruption investigation.
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, the top Republican on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, opposed Mr. Washington’s nomination but suggested that he support Mr. Nolen as a candidate for the position, citing his long career and expertise. Mr. Nolen was formerly the FAA’s associate administrator for aviation safety.
The departure of Mr. Nolen, previously reported by The Wall Street Journal, comes as the agency faces flight planning challenges, staff shortages and safety issues, including a series of near-misses on the runway.
Last month, the FAA issued a safety alert following the near misses calling on airlines to exercise “continued vigilance.” While the agency has generally not reported a significant increase in such near misses this year, Mr. Nolen that this was not what the public has come to expect at a time of unprecedented security in the US air transportation system.
An operational collapse by Southwest Airlines around Christmas and an FAA system failure in January that caused widespread flight disruptions have also raised questions about the management of the FAA. Most recently, a technology issue with Southwest Airlines led to more than 2,000 flight delays on Tuesday, amounting to more than half the schedule for the day.
Earlier this year, Mr. Nolen said he was forming a safety assessment team to examine aviation in the United States, including air traffic systems.
“Billy is a great leader, a true expert and a dedicated public servant,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement Friday. “It has maintained safety as the FAA’s north star during one of the most complex periods in modern aviation.”
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