[Senate Hearing 118-652]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 118-652
NOMINATION OF MICHAEL G. WHITAKER,
NOMINEE TO BE ADMINISTRATOR,
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION
=======================================================================
HEARING
before the
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE,
SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
OCTOBER 4, 2023
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available online: http://www.govinfo.gov
______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
60-397 PDF WASHINGTON : 2025
SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
MARIA CANTWELL, Washington, Chair
AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota TED CRUZ, Texas, Ranking
BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii JOHN THUNE, South Dakota
EDWARD MARKEY, Massachusetts ROGER WICKER, Mississippi
GARY PETERS, Michigan DEB FISCHER, Nebraska
TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin JERRY MORAN, Kansas
TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska
JON TESTER, Montana MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee
KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona TODD YOUNG, Indiana
JACKY ROSEN, Nevada TED BUDD, North Carolina
BEN RAY LUJAN, New Mexico ERIC SCHMITT, Missouri
JOHN HICKENLOOPER, Colorado J. D. VANCE, Ohio
RAPHAEL WARNOCK, Georgia SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West
PETER WELCH, Vermont Virginia
CYNTHIA LUMMIS, Wyoming
Lila Harper Helms, Staff Director
Melissa Porter, Deputy Staff Director
Jonathan Hale, General Counsel
Brad Grantz, Republican Staff Director
Nicole Christus, Republican Deputy Staff Director
Liam McKenna, General Counsel
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
Hearing held on October 4, 2023.................................. 1
Statement of Senator Cantwell.................................... 1
Statement of Senator Welch....................................... 3
Statement of Senator Cruz........................................ 6
Statement of Senator Klobuchar................................... 95
Statement of Senator Thune....................................... 96
Statement of Senator Duckworth................................... 98
Statement of Senator Moran....................................... 100
Statement of Senator Peters...................................... 102
Statement of Senator Blackburn................................... 103
Statement of Senator Tester...................................... 105
Statement of Senator Fischer..................................... 107
Statement of Senator Sinema...................................... 108
Statement of Senator Budd........................................ 110
Statement of Senator Capito...................................... 113
Statement of Senator Markey...................................... 115
Statement of Senator Baldwin..................................... 116
Statement of Senator Hickenlooper................................ 117
Statement of Senator Lujan....................................... 119
Statement of Senator Schmitt..................................... 120
Statement of Senator Rosen....................................... 122
Statement of Senator Sullivan.................................... 123
Report dated February 13, 2020 from the National
Transportation Safety Board................................ 125
Letter to Hon. Dan Sullivan from the Alaska Air Carriers
Association................................................ 130
Statement of Senator Warnock..................................... 133
Statement of Senator Vance....................................... 135
Statement of Senator Young....................................... 137
Witnesses
Representative Sam Graves, Chairman, House Transportation
Committee...................................................... 4
Prepared statement........................................... 5
Michael G. Whitaker, Nominee to be Administrator, Federal
Aviation Administration........................................ 7
Prepared statement........................................... 9
Biographical information..................................... 10
Appendix
Letter dated October 4, 2023 to Hon. Maria Cantwell and Hon. Ted
Cruz from Gregory Pecoraro, NASAO President and CEO, National
Association of State Aviation Officials........................ 141
Response to written questions to Michael G. Whitaker submitted
by:
Hon. Maria Cantwell.......................................... 142
Hon. Brian Schatz............................................ 146
Hon. Gary Peters............................................. 146
Hon. Tammy Duckworth......................................... 147
Hon. Jon Tester.............................................. 150
Hon. Kyrsten Sinema.......................................... 150
Hon. Ben Ray Lujan........................................... 151
Hon. Raphael Warnock......................................... 152
Hon. Ted Cruz................................................ 154
Hon. Deb Fischer............................................. 156
Hon. Dan Sullivan............................................ 156
Hon. Marsha Blackburn........................................ 160
Hon. Todd Young.............................................. 161
Hon. Ted Budd................................................ 162
Hon. J.D. Vance.............................................. 165
Hon. Shelley Moore Capito.................................... 167
NOMINATION OF MICHAEL G. WHITAKER,
NOMINEE TO BE ADMINISTRATOR,
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION
----------
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2023
U.S. Senate,
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
Washington, DC.
The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:02 a.m., in
room SR-253, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon. Maria
Cantwell, Chair of the Committee, presiding.
Present: Senators Cantwell [presiding], Klobuchar, Markey,
Baldwin, Duckworth, Tester, Sinema, Rosen, Lujan, Hickenlooper,
Warnock, Welch, Cruz, Thune, Wicker, Fischer, Moran, Sullivan,
Blackburn, Young, Budd, Schmitt, Vance, and Capito.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MARIA CANTWELL,
U.S. SENATOR FROM WASHINGTON
The Chair. Good morning, everyone. The U.S. Senate
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will come to
order. This morning, we are here to consider the nomination of
Michael G. Whitaker to be the Administrator of the Federal
Aviation Administration.
I want to thank Mr. Whitaker for his willingness to serve.
I am also grateful that the House Chairman, Senator--House
Chairman Sam Graves is here, and we will hear from you soon.
Chairman Graves, along with my colleague, Ranking Member
Larson, have worked hard on a bipartisan bill to pass a long
term FAA reauthorization, so we thank you for that.
And I am hopeful that we will be able to do the same here
in a bipartisan fashion and finalize a bill into law before the
end of 2023. This is a reminder that aviation safety and the
job of running the FAA are not partisan endeavors.
They are ensuring strong leadership at the top of America's
chief aviation regulator, and this should be our common goal.
Mr. Whitaker's nomination has attracted broad support, not only
from across the aisle, but from across the aviation community.
He is supported by the aviation workforce, pilots, flight
attendants, machinists, and engineers, and enjoys a broad
support from many in the private sector of aviation. This
foundation of support will serve well because the FAA
Administrator has a big job, over 44,000 workers across
multiple lines of business, from airports to air traffic
control, to aviation safety, and each day they help keep
Americans moving safely--25,000 U.S. airline flights carrying
2.5 million passengers across the country and around the world.
Today, he will come before the Committee with more than 30
years of a diverse experience in aviation, including executive
leadership in the private sector, and 3 years serving as FAA
Deputy Administrator.
He led the FAA's modernization of the National Airspace
System, known shorthand as Next Gen, and I hope he will be able
to illuminate today the progress that we have made and
important milestones that we have achieved, and what we need to
do to get it finally implemented.
Mr. Whitaker will bring a commitment to advancing aviation
safety and appreciate his support by families who have lost
loved ones and who have been very dedicated to improving
aviation safety. But there are challenges that remain.
America's aviation system is under stress, demonstrated by the
number of near misses and close calls.
We need to hear today about a plan on how to tackle those
safety issues across our skies. The FAA's workforce has changed
and will continue to do so over the next several years, and we
look forward to learning how he will be able to build a strong
safety culture, attract new talent, and renew leadership at the
FAA.
And like its workforce, FAA safety systems and technology
must also be upgraded to 21st century innovations. And if
confirmed, he will have the opportunity to lead the NAS
modernization into the next era and telling us exactly how to
get that done. To be the world leader in aviation, the United
States must be a strong voice for safety at the International
Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO.
You have over 30 years of experience in aviation, including
executive roles on these important international issues, and we
hope that your leadership will help the world community
continue its safety focus. We need to learn how the FAA will
effectively raise the global safety bar on pilot training and
human factors.
The families of the 737 MAX tragedies were critical in
helping Congress pass important legislation, the Aircraft
Certification, Safety and Accountability Act. They support your
nomination, as I mentioned, and we expect an understanding this
morning on how you are going to carry out the further
implementation of these critical safety reforms.
The American public deserves a safe, reliable, effective
air transportation system. Our economy depends on it, and if
confirmed, you will have the opportunity not only to lead the
FAA, but shape America's future of aviation along with NASA.
These are challenging times, but the aviation community and
the leadership across many spectrums have the ability to get
this job done and get it done correctly. So, I welcome and
thank you for your willingness to serve and take that
leadership role in helping us.
I now am going to--I am waiting on my colleague who had to
run to Judiciary, so I am going to allow our colleague, Senator
Welch, to make an opening statement, and then I will turn to
Representative Graves.
STATEMENT OF HON. PETER WELCH,
U.S. SENATOR FROM VERMONT
Senator Welch. Madam Chair, you gave an excellent
presentation of Mr. Whitaker's experience, but you left out one
very important fact, he is my neighbor. Lives down the dirt
road. You go down Bragg Hill and up over little Densmore Hill,
and take a little left, and there they are, on the same dirt
road, right down the street in Vermont.
So, it is wonderful to have Michael here, Mary, and Joe.
You did outline his public experience, his private experience,
and I was going to do that, but you have done it so well that I
don't think we need to add to it.
But I do want to say a couple of things. With this
extraordinary experience he has first as a pilot, a lifelong
pilot, and with that, a constant concern about safety, because
he has had people he loves in his own plane.
With his experience at the FAA, where you have this huge
important agency, and he had the responsibility to make it work
in the implementation of a very important program that you
mentioned.
And then with his experience in the private sector, with
United Airlines and the very responsible big jobs he had there,
how can you have more experience in every phase of what is
required to have our flight systems be safe, to have
performance be solid, and to have the managerial experience to
kind of create the team in the culture that is necessary for a
well-functioning FAA, something that he and I spoke about at
Dan and Whit's, which is a store where if you don't have it,
you don't need it.
That is the Norwich famous country store. So, that broad
depth of experience and that decision--and this is what I also
really appreciate. At a time in his life when he was doing
fine, he lives on a nice place that rarely anyone wants to come
and see it. It is a nice place.
He wanted to serve, and we so need that in this country, to
have people with the benefit of a lifelong career in the public
and private sector deciding, you know what, I want to serve.
So, that gives me just immense confidence that we are going to
have a tremendous director, and I yield back.
The Chair. Thank you, Senator Welch. Thank you for that
very personal view of the nominee, and good to know that--that
road might come in handy some time for some.
[Laughter.]
The Chair. So, message delivery. Representative Graves,
welcome before the Committee. Thank you so much. Unless Senator
Moran, did you want to, as the Subcommittee Chair, make a
statement?
[Technical problems.]
The Chair. Thank you. Representative Graves, thank you so
much for being here.
STATEMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE SAM GRAVES, CHAIRMAN, HOUSE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
Representative Graves. Of course. Thank you, Madam Chair,
and members of the Committee. There are a lot of familiar faces
on this committee, and I like that.
And I also very much appreciate the opportunity. It is an
honor to be here today to support Michael Whitaker for
Administrator to the Federal Aviation Administration. And this
is a crucial time for aviation and for the FAA.
Steadfast leadership at the FAA is paramount if we as a
nation are to remain the global leader in aviation safety and
innovation, a goal that I know this committee and the nominee
unequivocally support. It has been a year and a half since
previous Administrator Steve Dickson stepped down.
And if you think about it, safety is dependent on
consistency, and unfortunately, the only thing that has been
consistent at the agency since the former Administrator
departed is the growing list of acting positions across the
agency. 18 months without an FAA Administrator is troubling.
The American people deserve a confirmed leader who has a
deep knowledge in, and a passion for that matter, for aviation.
And because of that, I am honored and pleased to introduce
Michael Whitaker, he is a very qualified nominee, that has been
put forward for your consideration.
Mr. Whitaker is currently the Chief Operating Officer for
an advanced air mobility company, which is an aviation sector
that is propelling American aviation to new heights and
demands, both regulatory stability and innovation.
Having previously served as the FAA Deputy Administrator,
Mr. Whitaker understands what it takes to helm the agency's--
that he has been nominated to lead. And he has also served many
years, obviously, in the travel and airline industries. And as
a professional pilot myself, I appreciate the fact that he too
is a GA pilot.
I have spoken to him on many occasions and visit with him
about the need to pass on that passion to the next generation
of young Americans and to be an advocate for aviation overall.
The bottom line is, is that having Mr. Whitaker confirmed
as FAA Administrator will help provide much needed certainty
for the FAA and the aviation industry, which is pivotal right
now in this moment in history. In addition to the confirmation
of an FAA nominee, I would be remiss if I didn't point out that
enacting a long-term FAA reauthorization bill will bring much
needed certainty to the aviation industry.
The bipartisan bill that passed out of the House in July by
a vote of 351 to 69 is a 5-year bill. And while your committee
works toward passage of companion legislation, our shared
commitment to enactment of a long term FAA bill guarantees that
the next Administrator will be charged with implementing the
final product of our work.
This adds enormous consequence to the nomination
responsibility of Mr. Whitaker, if he is confirmed. And I want
to be clear, I fully expect that if Mr. Whitaker is confirmed
as Administrator that we will not agree on everything. However,
I do believe that we will have a very strong working
relationship, just as I have had with his predecessors.
And like his predecessors from both Democrat
Administrations and Republican Administrations, I want to see
him be successful in the role because that is what is in the
best interests of the American aviation industry and in the
best interest of the American people.
I fought hard against the previous nominee whose lack of
relevant experience was greatly concerning, and that is also
why I am here today supporting Mr. Whitaker, because I believe
he is the right person for this job.
As the Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee in the House, my job is to hold the Administration
and any Administrator of the FAA accountable for their actions
to conduct rigorous oversight and to ensure that they are
following the legislative intent of any piece of legislation
that Congress passes.
And rest assured, I will do just that. But I also want to
express my support for this committee's consideration today of
a nominee who has extensive qualifications in the aviation
field and who is very familiar with the FAA, with its
importance, with its intricacies, and with its shortcomings.
And I believe Mr. Whitaker has a level of experience the
position of FAA Administrator demands, and prepared to deliver
the strong leadership that is needed at the FAA today more than
ever before. I want to thank you for your time, and I hope the
Committee favorably approves Mr. Whitaker's nomination and acts
swiftly on finalizing an FAA reauthorization.
So, thank you very much, and I yield back.
[The prepared statement of Representative Graves follows:]
Prepared Statement of Representative Sam Graves, Chairman, Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure
Thank you, Chair Cantwell, Ranking Member Cruz, and Members of the
Committee.
I appreciate the opportunity to introduce Michael Whitaker--the
nominee for Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
This is a critical time for aviation and for the FAA.
Steadfast leadership at the FAA is paramount if we--as a Nation--
are to remain the global leader in aviation innovation and safety. A
goal that I know this Committee and this nominee unequivocally support.
It's been a year-and-a-half since the previous Administrator, Steve
Dickson, stepped down. This Administration has waited far too long to
nominate a qualified nominee, leaving the more than 45,000 public
servants at the FAA without a permanent leader, jeopardizing American
leadership in aviation, and--frankly--risking public safety.
Safety is dependent on consistency, and unfortunately, the only
thing that's been consistent at the agency since former Administrator
Dickson's departure is the growing list of ``acting'' positions across
the agency.
18 months without an FAA Administrator is unacceptable.
The American people deserve a confirmed leader who has a deep
knowledge in, and passion for, aviation.
Because of that, I'm honored and pleased to introduce Michael
Whitaker, a qualified nominee that has been put forward for your
consideration.
Mr. Whitaker is currently the Chief Operating Officer for an
advanced air mobility company--an aviation sector that is propelling
American aviation to new heights and demands both regulatory stability
and innovation.
Having previously served as the FAA Deputy Administrator, Mr.
Whitaker understands what it takes to helm the agency he's been
nominated to lead.
He has also served for many years in the travel and airline
industries.
And I appreciate the fact that he, too, is a private pilot. Having
spoken with and gotten to know Mr. Whitaker over the years, I know he
understands the need to ensure that our shared passion for general
aviation is passed on to the next generation of Americans.
The bottom line is that having Mr. Whitaker confirmed as FAA
Administrator will help provide much needed certainty for the FAA and
aviation industry at this pivotal moment in history.
In addition to confirmation of an FAA nominee, enacting a long-term
FAA reauthorization bill will also bring much needed certainty to the
aviation industry.
The bipartisan bill that passed out of the House in July by a vote
of 351 to 69 is a five-year bill. And while your Committee works
towards passage of companion legislation, our shared commitment to
enactment of a long-term FAA bill guarantees that the next
Administrator will be charged with implementing the final product of
our work. This adds enormous consequence to this nomination and
responsibility for Mr. Whitaker, if confirmed.
I want to be clear--I fully expect that if confirmed as the
Administrator, Mr. Whitaker and I will not agree on everything.
However, I believe we can and will have a strong working relationship,
just as I have with his predecessors.
And like his predecessors from both Democrat and Republican
Administrations, I want to see him be successful in this role because
that is what is in the best interest of the American aviation industry
and, more importantly, the American people.
It is why I fought hard against the previous nominee, whose lack of
relevant experience was greatly concerning, and why I am here today
supporting Mr. Whitaker. Because I believe he is the right man for the
job.
As the Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee, my job is to hold the Administration, and any Administrator
of the FAA, accountable for their actions, to conduct rigorous
oversight, and to ensure they are following the legislative intent of
any law Congress passes.
And rest assured, I will do just that.
But I also want to express my support for this Committee's
consideration today of a nominee who has extensive qualifications in
the aviation field and who is very familiar with the FAA--its
importance, its intricacies, and its shortcomings.
I believe Mr. Whitaker has the level of experience that the
position of FAA Administrator demands and is prepared to deliver the
strong leadership that is needed at the FAA today more than ever
before.
Thank you for your time. It is my hope the Committee favorably
considers Mr. Whitaker's nomination and acts swiftly on finalizing its
FAA reauthorization bill.
The Chair. Thank you, Representative Graves. And again,
look forward to working with you in that bipartisan fashion to
get this over the goal line legislatively by the end of the
year. So, thank you for that. Senator Cruz.
STATEMENT OF HON. TED CRUZ,
U.S. SENATOR FROM TEXAS
Senator Cruz. Thank you, Madam Chair. And I want to welcome
my good friend Sam Graves. I am glad to see you slumming it on
the other side of the Capitol. Welcome. I hope that we have
been hospitable and maybe given you a decent cup of coffee this
morning. You don't have to answer that. Good morning.
Welcome, everyone. Mr. Whitaker, welcome. A San Antonio
native, something I am always glad to see. Every day, some 3
million passengers board commercial flights in and out of U.S.
airports with the confidence that they will safely arrive at
their destinations.
The public trust is the result of a nearly eight decade
collaboration between the aviation industry and the Federal
Aviation Administration. The FAA manages 29 million square
miles of airspace.
It ensures that aircraft and pilots meet the highest safety
standards, and it is the FAA that will ensure the safe
integration of drones, air taxis, and one day, commercial space
flight. When it comes to aviation safety, the buck stops with
the FAA.
We are here today to consider the nomination of Michael
Whitaker for the FAA Administrator. This is a crucially
important role. The next Administrator will face serious
challenges in rebuilding the FAA after unfortunately, 18 months
without a Senate confirmed leader.
Among those challenges, staffing critical air traffic
control facilities, modernizing antiquated air traffic systems,
and bringing FAA employees back in-person after 3 years of
telework. Mr. Whitaker is President Biden's second nominee to
be FAA Administrator.
The first was rejected by both Republicans and Democrats on
this committee for his lack of relevant experience. I am glad
that the Administration has heeded my advice and nominated a
person with significant experience in aviation, Mr. Whitaker.
Mr. Whitaker previously served as the second in command at
the FAA and has roughly three decades of aviation experience.
As I have said since we received Mr. Whitaker's nomination, I
am willing to keep an open mind and give him fair consideration
on the merits. I want to hear how he is going to address the
challenges facing the FAA and the aviation industry, should he
be confirmed.
I also want to ensure that Mr. Whitaker will focus on the
FAA's primary responsibility, ensuring the safety of our
national aerospace system, while having the fortitude and the
clarity of mind to question assumptions and to push back
against special interests.
Congress gives the Administrator a 5-year term because the
FAA is not a political organization, is not intended to be a
political organization, and we must keep politics out of the
FAA.
Today, Mr. Whitaker has the opportunity to explain to
members of this committee his vision for a stagnant agency, one
that is in desperate need of strong and independent leadership
willing to challenge the status quo.
Mr. Whitaker, I look forward to hearing why you believe you
are that independent leader and how you will meet the serious
challenges faced by the FAA and the aviation industry. Thank
you.
The Chair. Thank you, Senator Cruz. Again, Representative
Graves, thank you for being here. Mr. Whitaker, if you would
come up and take an opportunity to introduce anybody you would
like to introduce this morning before you give your opening
statement.
STATEMENT OF MICHAEL G. WHITAKER, NOMINEE TO BE ADMINISTRATOR,
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION
Mr. Whitaker. Thank you, Chair Cantwell, Ranking Member
Cruz, members of the Committee. It is an honor to appear before
you today as President Biden's nominee for Administrator of the
FAA.
I am grateful for this bipartisan introduction, and support
for my fellow Vermonter and neighbor, Senator Welch, and also
from House Transportation Chairman Sam Graves, who has been
very supportive throughout this process. I thank you both.
I would not be here today if it wasn't for the love and
support of my family, especially my wife, Mary, who is here
with me today, who has been patient and amazingly supportive
throughout this process, who is here with our son Joe. And our
daughter Jordan, who is watching from Vermont.
To begin, I would like to acknowledge Secretary Buttigieg
and Deputy Secretary Trottenberg for the exceptional leadership
that they have shown ensuring the FAA remains focused on its
critical mission to provide the safest and most efficient
aerospace system in the world.
Throughout my career, I have believed in this mission, not
only during my previous tenure at the FAA, but as an airline
executive, and now as I focus on emerging technologies in our
airspace. If confirmed, I will apply my 32 years of aviation
experience to lead the 44,000 dedicated professionals at the
FAA who work in every U.S. state and territory and across the
globe to meet this mission.
I began my aviation career as an attorney for Transworld
Airlines, then rose through the ranks of United Airlines from
Senior Counsel in a regulatory group to Senior Vice President
of alliances, international, and regulatory affairs.
More recently, I have worked with emerging aviation
technologies such as small unmanned systems and electric
propulsion. However, the key experience that qualifies me for
this position and that will allow me to make an immediate
impact at the FAA is my three-year tenure there as Deputy
Administrator.
During this time, I gained significant technical knowledge
of the complex systems that make up the national airspace. And
while at FAA, I also earned my private pilot certificate to
better understand the national airspace from the perspective of
a user of that system. If confirmed, my priority will be the
safety of the flying public.
They put their trust in the FAA to keep aviation the safest
way to travel, and the world has looked to us for decades as
the gold standard. To maintain that trust and that title, I
would immediately focus on three things as Administrator.
First, I will work not just to maintain the safety record
we have collectively achieved, but to build upon it. The two
Boeing MAX crashes remind us that we must be ever vigilant. The
FAA must finish implementing the remaining provisions of the
certification reform legislation passed by Congress, thanks to
the leadership of this committee.
These changes, along with other actions the FAA has taken,
will ensure that the gaps in the certification process are
fully closed and that we are able to catch risks even when they
are not disclosed by a manufacturer.
We simply cannot become complacent, and we must
continuously improve as an organization. In March, the FAA
announced a new goal to end serious close calls. It is critical
that we achieve this. It will not be accomplished overnight,
but it is urgent work that must continue.
Second, we need to build the aviation system of the future.
This requires the FAA to be agile and creative, and for all of
us to make ongoing investments. When I was at the FAA just a
few years ago, drones were new, commercial space launches were
rare, and flying taxis were still only in cartoons.
All of this has changed, and it requires that the agency
look forward, adapt quickly, and execute a plan for the future.
Third, none of this can be achieved without making the FAA an
employer of choice where aviators want to build their careers.
We must have a pipeline of dedicated public servants to achieve
our mission.
Nowhere is this clearer than the ongoing work to catch up
on air traffic controller hiring. The shortage has been years
in the making, but you have my commitment to reduce this
backlog. The FAA faces big challenges, and it will take
innovators and dreamers who bring ideas from every part of our
country to solve them.
Aviation has opened doors of opportunity for so many,
including me. We must make sure it continues to do so for
citizens in every corner of the country, no matter their
background.
I am honored by the trust the President has placed in me
with this nomination. If confirmed, I will remain committed to
the FAA's mission and pledge to work with you and the Committee
to get things done. Thank you for considering my nomination,
and I am pleased to answer questions.
[The prepared statement and biographical information of Mr.
Whitaker follow:]
Prepared Statement of Michael G. Whitaker, Nominee to be Administrator,
Federal Aviation Administration
Thank you, Chair Cantwell, Ranking Member Cruz, Members of the
Committee. It is an honor to appear before you today as President
Biden's nominee for Administrator of the FAA.
I'm grateful for the bipartisan introductions and support from my
fellow Vermonter, Senator Welch, and from House Transportation Chairman
Sam Graves, who has been very supportive throughout this process.
I would not be here today if it wasn't for the love and support of
my family, especially my wife, Mary, who's been patient and amazingly
supportive throughout this process.
To begin, I want to acknowledge Secretary Buttigieg and Deputy
Secretary Trottenberg for the exceptional leadership they have shown in
ensuring the FAA remains focused on its critical mission to provide the
safest and most efficient aerospace system in the world.
Throughout my career, I have believed in this mission. Not only
during my previous tenure at the FAA, but as an airline executive, and
now as I focus on emerging technologies in our airspace. If confirmed,
I will apply my 32 years of aviation experience to lead the 44,000
dedicated professionals at the FAA, who work in every U.S. state and
territory, and across the globe, to meet this mission.
I began my aviation career as an attorney for Trans World Airlines,
then rose through the ranks of United Airlines from senior counsel in
the regulatory group, to senior vice president of alliances,
international and regulatory affairs. Most recently, I have worked with
emerging aviation technologies, such as small unmanned systems and
electric propulsion.
However, the key experience that qualifies me for this position,
and that will allow me to make an immediate impact at the FAA, is my
three-year tenure there as Deputy Administrator. During this time, I
gained significant technical knowledge of the complex systems that make
up our national airspace, such as ADS-B.
While at the FAA, I also earned my private pilot's certificate to
better understand the national airspace from the perspective of a user
of that system.
If confirmed, my priority will be the safety of the flying public.
They have put their trust in the FAA to keep aviation the safest way to
travel, and the world has looked to us for decades as the gold
standard. To maintain that trust and that title, I would immediately
focus on three things as administrator:
First, I will work to not just maintain the safety record we have
collectively achieved, but build upon it.
The two Boeing MAX crashes remind us that we must be ever vigilant.
The FAA must finish implementing the remaining provisions of the
certification reform legislation passed by Congress, thanks to this
committee's leadership. These changes, along with other actions the FAA
has taken, will ensure that gaps in the certification process are fully
closed, and that we are able to catch risks even when they are not
disclosed.
We simply cannot become complacent, and we must continuously
improve. In March, the FAA announced a new goal to end serious close
calls. This is critical. We will not achieve this overnight, but it is
urgent work that we must continue.
Second, we need to build the aviation system of the future. This
requires the FAA to be agile and creative, and for all of us to make
ongoing investments.
When I was at the FAA just a few years ago, drones were new,
commercial space launches were rare and flying taxis were still only in
cartoons. All of this has changed, and it requires that the agency be
forward looking, adapt quickly, and execute a plan for the future.
Third, none of this can be achieved without making the FAA a place
of choice where aviators want to build their careers.
We must have a pipeline of dedicated public servants to achieve our
mission. Nowhere is this clearer than the ongoing work to catchup on
air traffic controller training. The shortage has been years in the
making, but you have my commitment to reduce this backlog.
The FAA faces big challenges, and it will take innovators and
dreamers, who bring ideas from every part of our country, to solve
them. Aviation has opened doors of opportunity to so many, including
me. We must make sure it continues to do so for citizens in every
corner of the country, no matter their background.
I am honored by the trust the President has placed in me with this
nomination. If confirmed, I will remain committed to the FAA's mission
and pledge to work with you and the Committee.
Thank you for considering my nomination today. I am pleased to
answer any questions you have.
______
a. biographical information
1. Name (Include any former names or nicknames used):
Michael Gordon Whitaker, (''Mike'')
2. Position to which nominated: Administrator, Federal Aviation
Administration.
3. Date of Nomination: July 10, 2023.
4. Address (List current place of residence and office addresses):
Residence: Information not released to the public.
Office: 1101 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036.
5. Date and Place of Birth: June 21, 1961; San Antonio, TX.
6. Provide the name, position, and place of employment for your
spouse (if married) and the names and ages of your children (including
stepchildren and children by a previous marriage).
Mary Elizabeth Stevens, wife, Nurse Practitioner, retired
Joseph Anthony Sansone, 26, stepson
Jordan Elizabeth Sansone, 24, stepdaughter
7. List all college and graduate schools attended, whether or not
you were granted a degree by the institution. Provide the name of the
institution, the dates attended, the degree received, and the date of
the degree.
Georgetown University Law Center 1984-1987
Juris Doctorate 1987
University of Louisville 1979-82, 1983-84
Bachelor of Arts 1984
Universite de Montpellier (France) 1982-83
Certificate of Attendance (Junior Year Abroad) 1983
8. List all post-undergraduate employment, including the job title,
name of employer, and inclusive dates of employment, and highlight all
management-level jobs held and any non-managerial jobs that relate to
the position for which you are nominated.
Note: Explanations of experience that may be relevant to the
position for which I am nominated are provided in italics after the
relevant job listings below.
1985-86 Law Clerk, The Donohoe Companies (DC)
1986-87 Law Clerk, Grossberg, Yochelson, Fox and Beyda (DC)
1987-90 Associate, Stites and Harbison (KY)
1989-91 Adjunct Professor, University of Louisville (KY)
1990-91 Attorney, Self-employed, Louisville, KY
1991-94 Several Positions, Trans World Airlines (NY, DC)
Initially served as a litigation attorney; then was promoted to
managing attorney for regulatory affairs, providing comments on
pending regulations and DOT international route proceedings;
then promoted to director of international affairs, where I was
responsible for securing and safeguarding international route
rights; then promoted to assistant general counsel, combining
my previous two roles.
1994-2009 Several Positions, United Airlines (DC, IL)
I served as senior counsel, then managing director, then vice
president of international affairs, where my duties included
working with the DOT in international negotiations to acquire
new flying rights abroad, as well as working with DOT and DOJ
to secure antitrust immunity for commercial airline alliances.
Then added commercial alliances to the existing portfolio and
was promoted to senior vice president. Responsibilities
included testifying before Congress and international
governmental bodies on international aviation issues. Key
accomplishments included:
Worked with U.S. Departments of Transportation and
State to secure a significant expansion of international
route rights for the company, including expansion in the
UK, Europe, China, Japan, India and Latin America
Recruited international airline alliance partners to
Star Alliance, securing valuable traffic feed for United's
international flights.
Secured anti-trust immunity with U.S. and foreign
regulators to allow closer airline cooperation toward more
seamless international alliance travel.
2007-2008 Adjunct Professor, DePaul University School of Law
(IL)
2009-2012 Group CEO, InterGlobe Enterprises (India)
Served as Group CEO over four businesses owned and operated by
InterGlobe, an Indian travel conglomerate and owner of India's
largest airline, IndiGo (a low-cost carriers). The four
businesses were;
Air Transport (a general sales agent operation)
ITQ (the Indian franchise of the airline global
distribution company TravelPort)
InterGlobe Technologies (a software development and
travel services provider)
The Established (a sales organization representing
general aviation manufacturers).
Combined, these companies employed thousands of employees in
over a dozen countries, and generated revenues of over $100
million annually. During my tenure, I led a rebranding of the
parent company, aligned business practices among the companies,
and upgraded accounting practices to prepare the companies for
public offering. In 2011, I transitioned from group CEO to
board member.
2013-2016 Deputy Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration
(DC)
Position also included the role of chief NextGen officer,
responsible for the transition from radar-based to satellite-
based surveillance of air traffic, plus adjacent technologies.
Key focus was on ensuring industry equipage of ADS-B (Out)
transponders in aircraft fleets by 2020, working in
collaboration with key industry and military sectors. Other key
initiatives included overseeing the negotiation of a labor
contract with the controllers' union (NATCA), standardizing
access to agency data by external users, and standing up an
internal organization to facilitate entry of new users into the
National Air Space, including UAS operators and electric
aircraft.
2016-2020 Principal, Whitaker Air Space (NH, VT)
Aviation consultancy. Advised companies and government on
strategic matters relating to aviation, aerospace, air traffic
management, certification, strategic planning and government
relations.
2020 to present Chief Operating Officer, Supernal (a Hyundai
company) (DC)
This start-up company founded by the Hyundai group is designing
and will manufacture electric, vertical takeoff and landing
(eVTOL) vehicles for the emerging advanced air mobility (AAM)
market. As COO I am responsible for commercial operations as
well as core business operations, such as human resources and
information technology. Previous roles include chief commercial
officer and chief policy officer.
9. Attach a copy of your resume.
Attached as Addendum 1.
10. List any advisory, consultative, honorary, or other part-time
service or positions with Federal, State, or local governments, other
than those listed above after 18 years of age.
Board Member, Chicago Sister Cities (1996-2009)
11. List all positions held as an officer, director, trustee,
partner, proprietor, agent, representative, or consultant of any
corporation, company, firm, partnership, or other business, enterprise,
educational, or other institution.
Co-founder, The Parisian Pantry (1983-88)
Vice President, United Airlines (1998-2006)
Senior Vice President, United Airlines (2006-2009)
Board Member, Chicago Sister Cities (1996-2009)
Board Member, San Francisco Opera (2007-2009)
Group CEO, InterGlobe Enterprises (2009-2011)
Board Member, InterGlobe Enterprises (2011-2012)
Advisory Board Member, Passur Aerospace (2017-2020)
Advisory Board Member, Aerion corporation (2017-2019)
Advisory Board Member, Insitu (2017-2018)
Consultant, United Airlines (2017-2020) (through Whitaker Air
Space)
Editorial Board Member, Air and Space Law Journal (2017-2022)
Board Member, Matternet (2018 to present)
Board Member, ANRA Technologies (2018 to present)
Consultant, Ascension Global (2019-2020)
Officer, Supernal (2020 to present)
12. Please list each membership you have had after 18 years of age
or currently hold with any civic, social, charitable, educational,
political, professional, fraternal, benevolent or religiously
affiliated organization, private club, or other membership
organization. (For this question, you do not have to list your
religious affiliation or membership in a religious house of worship or
institution.). Include dates of membership and any positions you have
held with any organization. Please note whether any such club or
organization restricts membership on the basis of sex, race, color,
religion, national origin, age, or disability.
Board Member, Chicago Sister Cities (1996-2009)
Board Member, San Francisco Opera (2007-2009)
American Bar Association (1987-1990)
Kentucky Bar Association (1987-2010)
Louisville Bar Association (1987-1991)
Upper Valley Flying Club, KLEB (2017-2020)
None of these organizations restricts membership on the basis of
sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, or disability
13. Have you ever been a candidate for and/or held a public office
(elected, non-elected, or appointed)? If so, indicate whether any
campaign has any outstanding debt, the amount, and whether you are
personally liable for that debt. No.
14. List all memberships and offices held with and services
rendered to, whether compensated or not, any political party or
election committee within the past ten years. If you have held a paid
position or served in a formal or official advisory position (whether
compensated or not) in a political campaign within the past ten years,
identify the particulars of the campaign, including the candidate, year
of the campaign, and your title and responsibilities. None.
15. Itemize all political contributions to any individual, campaign
organization, political party, political action committee, or similar
entity of $200 or more for the past ten years. None.
16. List all scholarships, fellowships, honorary degrees, honorary
society memberships, military medals, and any other special recognition
for outstanding service or achievements.
University: Received a one-year study abroad scholarship
(tuition, housing and food) through a Sister Cities program
between Louisville, KY, and Montpellier, France; Received
various departmental awards from the Political Science
Department of the University of Louisville; was on the Dean's
List multiple semesters; Graduated with high honors and was
named a member of the honor society.
Law School: graduated cum laude from Georgetown University Law
Center
Louisville Bar Association: Award for Outstanding pro bono
service arising from my representation of a death row inmate
(approximately 1989).
17. List each book, article, column, letter to the editor, Internet
blog posting, or other publication you have authored, individually or
with others. Include a link to each publication when possible. If a
link is not available, provide a digital copy of the publication when
available. None.
18. List all speeches, panel discussions, and presentations (e.g.,
PowerPoint) that you have given on topics relevant to the position for
which you have been nominated. Include a link to each publication when
possible. If a link is not available, provide a digital copy of the
speech or presentation when available.
I have delivered numerous speeches and presentations, and
participated in many panel discussions during the course of my career.
Please see Addendum 2 for the most up-to-date list I have been able to
compile. If additional speeches or remarks are identified following the
submission of this Questionnaire, I will promptly let the Committee
know and provide appropriate details.
See Addendum 2 (attached).
19. List all public statements you have made during the past ten
years, including statements in news articles and radio and television
appearances, which are on topics relevant to the position for which you
have been nominated, including dates. Include a link to each statement
when possible. If a link is not available, provide a digital copy of
the statement when available.
I have made numerous media statements during the course of my
career. Please see Addendum 3 for the most up-to-date list I have been
able to compile. If additional statements are identified following the
submission of this Questionnaire, I will promptly let the Committee
know and provide appropriate details.
See Addendum 3 (attached).
20. List all digital platforms (including social media and other
digital content sites) on which you currently or have formerly operated
an account, regardless of whether or not the account was held in your
name or an alias. Include the full name of an ``alias'' or ``handle'',
including the complete URL and username with hyperlinks, you have used
on each of the named platforms. Indicate whether the account is active,
deleted, or dormant. Include a link to each account if possible.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-whitaker-
14329828/ (active)
Facebook: (terminated account several years ago--approximately
2017)
Twitter: @mgwhitaker (active account but rarely if ever used)
21. Please identify each instance in which you have testified
orally or in writing before Congress in a governmental or non-
governmental capacity and specify the date and subject matter of each
testimony.
See Addendum 4 (attached).
22. Given the current mission, major programs, and major
operational objectives of the department/agency to which you have been
nominated, what in your background or employment experience do you
believe affirmatively qualifies you for appointment to the position for
which you have been nominated, and why do you wish to serve in that
position?
I have spent the last 32 years in aviation, beginning as an
attorney for Trans World Airlines, then rising through the ranks of
United Airlines from senior counsel in the regulatory group to senior
vice president of alliances, international and regulatory affairs. I
have also worked with emerging aviation technologies, such as small
unmanned systems as well as electric propulsion.
But the key experience I believe qualifies me for this position is
my three-year tenure as deputy administrator of the FAA and its chief
NextGen officer. This experience allowed me to significantly deepen my
technical knowledge of the air traffic system, as well as the
technologies that the FAA and industry have applied to achieve the
highest standards of safety in the world, including safety management
systems, just culture principles, and the use of data to identify
emerging safety risks. Working in close partnership with Administrator
Huerta, I co-managed the 47,000 employee workforce and helped drive the
transition from radar-based surveillance to satellite-and ground-based
ADS-B. I also earned my private pilot certificate during that period,
which further enabled me to understand the workings of the national air
space (``NAS'') and the role of technology in increasing the levels of
safety.
23. What do you believe are your responsibilities, if confirmed, to
ensure that the department/agency has proper management and accounting
controls, and what experience do you have in managing a large
organization?
If confirmed, I will bring my previous experience of leading the
47,000 dedicated employees at the FAA to ensure the FAA stays focused
on safety and properly prioritizes modernization efforts of the
national airspace. I will rely on my three-plus decades of executive
experience in aviation and aerospace organizations to provide
leadership with appropriate management and financial controls over the
budgets, operations and program management of the agency.
My experience encompasses a range of diverse organizations that
have prepared me to lead large organizations. Those include start-ups
such as Supernal where, as chief operating officer, I was responsible
for overseeing the nascent operations as well as developing safety
programs and policies and procedures to meet the need of a fast-growing
electric aircraft manufacturer. At InterGlobe, India's largest travel
conglomerate, I oversaw the restructuring of accounting and compliance
policies and procedures in four companies to ensure they met
international standards that would enable them to access public
financial markets. And as Deputy Administrator of the FAA, I lead the
successful implementation of key NextGen programs, ensuring that key
milestones and budget targets were met during my tenure, enabling the
scheduled cutover from radar to ADS-B surveillance in 2020.
24. What do you believe to be the top three challenges facing the
department/agency, and why?
1. Maintaining the U.S. Aviation System as the Global Standard for
Safety. Maintaining the highest standards of safety that the
traveling public expects is the top priority and challenge for
the agency. This involves providing adequate staffing in key
functions, ensuring operators are compliant with current
standards, and constant diligence in analyzing safety data to
identify emerging threats and working with system users to
mitigate those threats.
2. Rebuilding the FAA Workforce for the Future. Use all available
means to increase qualified staffing of controllers,
inspectors, and other safety and operational professionals to
ensure our mission of safety and efficiency are met while
creating a great place to work.
3. Maintain Global Leadership through Excellence. Build an
organization that can meet the challenges of incorporating new
users and technologies--small unmanned systems, advanced air
mobility, distributed electric propulsion, commercial space--
into the busiest and safest air space system in the world.
Building a culture of continuous improvement will allow us to
achieve a level of operational excellence as a regulator and an
air traffic systems operator that ensures the FAA and U.S.
companies maintain their long-established global leadership in
aviation and aerospace.
b. potential conflicts of interest
1. Describe all financial arrangements, deferred compensation
agreements, and other continuing dealings with business associates,
clients, or customers. Please include information related to retirement
accounts, such as a 401(k) or pension plan.
My arrangements are fully described in Part 3 of my Public
Financial Disclosure Report.
2. Do you have any commitments or agreements, formal or informal,
to maintain employment, affiliation, or practice with any business,
association, or other organization during your appointment? If so,
please explain.
No.
3. Indicate any investments, obligations, liabilities, or other
relationships which could involve potential conflicts of interest in
the position to which you have been nominated. Explain how you will
resolve each potential conflict of interest.
In connection with the nomination process, I have consulted with
the Office of Government Ethics and the Department of Transportation's
Designated Agency Ethics Official to identify any potential conflicts
of interest. Any potential conflicts of interest will continue to be
resolved in accordance with the terms of an ethics agreement that I
have entered into with the Department's Designated Agency Ethics
Official and that has been provided to this Committee. I am not aware
of any potential conflicts of interest.
4. Describe any business relationship, dealing, or financial
transaction which you have had during the last ten years, whether for
yourself, on behalf of a client, or acting as an agent, that could in
any way constitute or result in a possible conflict of interest in the
position to which you have been nominated. Explain how you will resolve
each potential conflict of interest.
In connection with the nomination process, I have consulted with
the Office of Government Ethics and the Department of Transportation's
Designated Agency Ethics Official to identify any potential conflicts
of interest. Any potential conflicts of interest will continue to be
resolved in accordance with the terms of an ethics agreement that I
have entered into with the Department's Designated Agency Ethics
Official and that has been provided to this Committee. I am not aware
of any potential conflicts of interest.
5. Identify any other potential conflicts of interest and explain
how you will resolve each potential conflict of interest.
In connection with the nomination process, I have consulted with
the Office of Government Ethics and the Department of Transportation's
Designated Agency Ethics Official to identify any potential conflicts
of interest. Any potential conflicts of interest will continue to be
resolved in accordance with the terms of an ethics agreement that I
have entered into with the Department's Designated Agency Ethics
Official and that has been provided to this Committee. I am not aware
of any potential conflicts of interest.
6. Describe any activity during the past ten years, including the
names of clients represented, in which you have been engaged for the
purpose of directly or indirectly influencing the passage, defeat, or
modification of any legislation or affecting the administration and
execution of law or public policy.
None, except as pertains to the executions of my duties as Deputy
Administrator of the FAA from 2013 to 2016.
c. legal matters
1. Have you ever been disciplined or cited for a breach of ethics,
professional misconduct, or retaliation by, or been the subject of a
complaint to, any court, administrative agency, the Office of Special
Counsel, an Inspector General, professional association, disciplinary
committee, or other professional group? If yes:
a. Provide the name of court, agency, association, committee, or
group;
b. Provide the date the citation, disciplinary action, complaint, or
personnel action was issued or initiated;
c. Describe the citation, disciplinary action, complaint, or
personnel action;
d. Provide the results of the citation, disciplinary action,
complaint, or personnel action.
No.
2. Have you ever been investigated, arrested, charged, or held by
any Federal, State, or other law enforcement authority of any Federal,
State, county, or municipal entity, other than for a minor traffic
offense? If so, please explain.
In June or July 1979 I was stopped in Louisville, KY, for ``doing
doughnuts'' in a parking lot. I pled guilty to a charge and paid a $10
fine.
3. Have you or any business or nonprofit of which you are or were
an officer ever been involved as a party in an administrative agency
proceeding, criminal proceeding, or civil litigation? If so, please
explain. No.
4. Have you ever been convicted (including pleas of guilty or nolo
contendere) of any criminal violation other than a minor traffic
offense? If so, please explain.
Please see C: Legal Matters: Question 2.
5. Have you ever been accused, formally or informally, of sexual
harassment or discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, or
any other basis? If so, please explain. No.
6. Please advise the Committee of any additional information,
favorable or unfavorable, which you feel should be disclosed in
connection with your nomination. None.
d. relationship with committee
1. Will you ensure that your department/agency complies with
deadlines for information set by congressional committees, and that
your department/agency endeavors to timely comply with requests for
information from individual Members of Congress, including requests
from members in the minority? Yes.
2. Will you ensure that your department/agency does whatever it can
to protect congressional witnesses and whistleblowers from reprisal for
their testimony and disclosures? Yes.
3. Will you cooperate in providing the Committee with requested
witnesses, including technical experts and career employees, with
firsthand knowledge of matters of interest to the Committee? Yes.
4. Are you willing to appear and testify before any duly
constituted committee of the Congress on such occasions as you may be
reasonably requested to do so? Yes.
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
______
Addendum 2
Response Question A.18
List all speeches, panel discussions, and presentations (e.g.,
PowerPoint) that you have given on topics relevant to the position for
which you have been nominated. Include a link to each publication when
possible. If a link is not available, provide a digital copy of the
speech or presentation when available.
I have delivered numerous speeches and presentations, and
participated in many panel discussions during the course of my career.
If additional speeches or remarks are identified following the
submission of this Questionnaire, I will promptly let the Committee
know and provide appropriate details.
There are three time periods where I would have made public
statements responsive to this request: my work as an officer at United
Airlines, where I was a public advocate for policy positions of the
company (1994-2009); my time as Deputy Administrator of the FAA (2013-
2016); and my time since leaving FAA (2016 through present). These are
outlined below with as much specificity as possible:
United Airlines (1994-2009)
March 2003, Presentation to ICAO Worldwide Air Transport Conference:
``Aviation in Transition: Challenges and Opportunities of
Liberalization.'' https://www.icao
.int/Meetings/ATConf5/Documents/Whitaker.pdf#search=whitaker
August 14, 2003, Competitive Enterprise Institute: State of Airline
Competition https://www.c-span.org/video/?177797-1/state-airline-
competition
FAA (2013-2016)
Please reference Attachment 1: FAA Speeches
Post-FAA (2016-present)
October 12, 2017, CAPA Centre for Aviation (London): Renegotiating the
North Atlantic multilateral post-Brexit. No recording available
November 26, 2018, CAPA Centre for Aviation (Berlin): The Outlook for
UK-Europe, the Transatlantic and Open Skies--How Are Airlines Preparing
for the Post-Brexit World? https://centreforaviation.com/analysis/
video/the-outlook-for-uk-europe-the-trans-atlantic-and-open-skies-how-
are-airlines-preparing-for-the-post-brexit-world-912
February 2021 CAPA Centre for Aviation (Virtual conference): USDOT--
which aviation policies will (and should) Secretary Buttigieg pursue?
https://centreforaviation
.com/analysis/video/usdot-which-aviation-policies-will-and-should-
secretary-butti
gieg-pursue-1357
April 21, 2021, ICAO Drone Enable (Virtual), Panel on Regulatory and
technical challenges of Advanced Air Mobility--No recording available
July 19, 2022, Farnborough Air Show, Panel on Advanced Air Mobility. No
recording available
September 2022, NBAA Webinar on Advanced Air Mobility. https://
nbaa.org/aircraft-operations/emerging-technologies/uas/nbaa-webinar-
its-a-bird-a-plane-building-public-trust-in-all-new-flying-vehicles/
______
Addendum 3 Response Question A.19
List all public statements you have made during the past ten years,
including statements in news articles and radio and television
appearances, which are on topics relevant to the position for which you
have been nominated, including dates. Include a link to each statement
when possible. If a link is not available, provide a digital copy of
the statement when available.
United Airlines (1994-2009)
December 23, 2001, O'Hare may feel pain of Detroit Metro's gains.
https://www.
chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2001-12-23-0112230375-story.html
September 25, 2007, United awarded daily nonstop flight to Guangzhou,
China. https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/United-awarded-daily-
nonstop-flights-to-2538607.php
April 8, 2008, Aer Lingus Partnership With United Airlines. https://
www.globenews
wire.com/en/news-release/2008/04/08/1394104/0/en/Aer-Lingus-
Partnership-With-United-Airlines.html
May 14, 2008, United Airlines Offers Inter-Island Hawaii Flights with
New Hawaiian Airlines Codeshare Agreement. https://
newsroom.hawaiianairlines.com/releases/united-airlines-offers-inter-
island-hawaii-flights-with-new-hawaiian-airlines-codeshare-agreement
FAA (2013-2016)
Please reference Attachment 2: FAA Public Statements
Post-FAA (2016-2023)
July 24, 2019, Aviation News Talk podcast (ep.115): NextGen and General
Aviation https://aviationnewstalk.com/podcast/115-former-faa-deputy-
administrator-on-nextgen-and-general-aviation-interview-mike-whitaker/
September 5, 2020, NBAA Webinar: It's a Bird? A Plane? Building Public
Trust in All-New Flying Vehicles. https://nbaa.org/aircraft-operations/
emerging-technologies
/uas/nbaa-webinar-its-a-bird-a-plane-building-public-trust-in-all-new-
flying-vehicles/
October 27, 2021, Airlines Confidential Podcast https://
podcasts.apple.com/gb/pod
cast/107-mike-whitaker-chief-policy-officer-hyundai-air/
id1488637686?i=1000539841
583
December 4, 2021, Vertical Space Podcast https://
theverticalspace.buzzsprout.com/1875560/9661801-3-mike-whitaker-from-
supernal-a-hyundai-company
October 20, 2022, CEO and CCO of Hyundai's Supernal Talk eVTOL
Development. CEO and CCO of Hyundai's Supernal Talk eVTOL Development--
Avionics International (aviationtoday.com)
January 12, 2023, NPR: Discussion of NOTAM system failure. https://
www.npr
.org/2023/01/12/1148633630/planes-are-back-in-the-sky-but-what-is-
going-on-with-u-s-aviation
January 12, 2023, Supernal to Utilize Microsoft Azure for eVTOL
Development. Supernal to Utilize Microsoft Azure for eVTOL
Development--Avionics International (aviationtoday.com)
______
Addendum 4 Response Question A.21
Please identify each instance in which you have testified orally or in
writing before Congress in a governmental or non-governmental capacity
and specify the date and subject matter of each testimony.
November 19, 2013, House Aviation Subcommittee: NextGen Listening
Session. https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/113th-congress/
house-report/718/1
March 11, 2014, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure:
Modernizing the Aviation System--Leveraging the Assets of the FAA's
William J. Hughes Technical Center https://transportation.house.gov/
calendar/eventsingle.aspx?Event
ID=369763
June 25, 2014, Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security: Nextgen: A
Review of Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities for Improving
Aviation Safety and Efficiency. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/
CHRG-113shrg95362/pdf/CHRG-113
shrg95362.pdf
June 17, 2015, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee:
Commercial Drone Regulation https://www.c-span.org/video/?326612-1/
commercial-drone-regulation
October 7, 2015, House Aviation Subcommittee of the Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee: Drone Safety https://www.c-span.org/video/
?328622-1/drone
-safety
______
Thanks, Paul.
Intro comments
I had the privilege of speaking a few weeks ago at the Women in
Aviation International conference in Orlando. That conference was
attended by a lot of young people--high school and college students
looking at aviation as a career. I was asked to talk about why aviation
is such a great career.
This is a tricky topic for someone of my generation, because by any
measure the last 25-30 years in the aviation business have been
anything but smooth! If you are a pilot--and I know we have a lot of
pilots at this conference--you likely would have endured one or more
layoffs over the past 25, 30 years, because of bankruptcies, mergers,
recessions, fuel spikes, 9/11. If you were an airline employee of any
kind, you probably lost your pension . . . . and you learned what PBGC
stands for. . . .
At that Orlando conference, I made the observation that I had
joined the airline business at the worst possible moment in history,
which was 1991, just after Eastern shut down, just as PanAm was
shutting down, and I had the foresight to join TWA . . . . . right
before its first bankruptcy.
But as I prepared for this conference it occurred to me maybe 1991
wasn't the low point. Maybe it was 1981. I was a college student at the
time hitch-hiking around Europe--until I got stuck at Heathrow for a
week after the President of the United States fired the air traffic
controllers.
But of course actually the worst year was 2001--9/11 . . . which
was then followed by the financial collapse in 2008.
Then followed by 2013--with the sequestration, the budget battles
and the government shutdown!
Bottom line: it has been a very rocky ride. There are no
guarantees in this business.
And like most of you here, I wouldn't trade a career in
aviation for anything!
But this leads me to two observations.
One--and maybe all of us in the aviation business are optimist by
nature--but the worst may be behind us. Maybe 2013 is the last of the
bad years. There are several factors that suggest the next 25 years
will be much better than the last 25 years.
And two, in a very real sense, we are at a pivotal moment in the
industry that feels very much like a generational handoff. As
Administrator Huerta has said, the decisions we make today--those of us
in this room: FAA, NATCA, other stakeholders--will shape aviation for
the decades to come.
Some of those pivotal decisions were discussed with the panel David
Grizzle and Trish moderated--should the ATC system be privatized? So I
would like to talk briefly about these two things: why I think the next
25 years will be so interesting--interesting in a good way!--and why
this is such a pivotal moment.
THE NEXT 25 YEARS
What will the next 25 years look like? Well, it looks like it will
be a good time to be a pilot. Our annual forecast shows the Nation's
aviation system will continue to grow over the next two decades with a
greater number of people expected to fly more miles each year. The
rounds of mergers and bankruptcies that began after deregulation seem
to have reached a stable state. It's unlikely we'll see many more
mergers--except at the margins. The demand for experienced pilots is
clearly growing.
And it's a good time to be a controller, or to work for the FAA
generally. This generational handoff shows up in the age of our
workforce. Because many controllers were hired in the `80s, there is a
wave of retirements coming up. We plan to bring on approximately 6000
controllers over the next five years [verify]. Agency-wide, in fact,
there will be a lot of retirements: a third of our workforce will
retire in the next several years.
The next 25 years also promise to be interesting because of new
technologies and users being introduced into the system. Unmanned
aircraft--UAS--will have many commercial uses: agriculture, pipeline
inspections, construction, media. Each of these vehicles will have an
operator--a pilot--and there will be many jobs created in the design,
manufacture, sale and maintenance of these aircraft.
For us, the challenge will be to ensure these operations are
conducted safely, and to equitably balance their needs with the needs
of current airspace users. We're currently working to develop the
regulations to accommodate these users . . . and we're researching and
developing a collision avoidance system called ACAS-Xu--similar to
TCAS--to accommodate them technologically.
Another exciting opportunity--and challenge for us--is the
integration of commercial space operations into the system. Commercial
operators are launching payload into space on almost a weekly basis
[accurate?]. And the last technological challenges are being conquered
to allow commercial passenger flights into space. We are also working
on how to integrate these vertical operators into our horizontal
system.
PIVOT POINT
So the next 25 years offers a lot of promise, but it also presents
us with a lot of challenges. As we just heard in the industry
leadership panel before lunch, there is some debate about what the air
traffic system will look like in the future. Does it stay
governmentally run, or should it be privatized, or semi-autonomous? But
we shouldn't get too focused on the form it takes. Whatever it looks
like, we still need to work closely together. We need to build the air
traffic system of the future, regardless of how it is structured. The
work we have to do doesn't change.
Here I think there are three key areas where we can takes steps now
to deliver a better air traffic system to the next generation. Those
are: delivering on NextGen, right-sizing the NAS, and continuing to
drive down safety risk. The FAA and NATCA have a unique opportunity to
really shape the future . . . by continuing the collaboration that has
been so successful the last few years.
NextGen
On NextGen, we are making substantial progress.
We're on schedule to complete NextGen's foundational
programs by 2015. Last week, we completed installation of our
ADS-B radios throughout the U.S. We will continue to add
additional stations in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico.
We will complete the deployment of ERAM at 20 of our en
route facilities and TAMR at key terminal sites by March of
next year. Sixteen of these 20 en route centers are already
operating ERAM continuously to control air traffic.
TAMR is now in full production mode. This effort involves
implementing the STARS platform at over 150 TRACONs throughout
the country.
But to keep the momentum going we need to continue to deliver
benefits to users. We've been working with the NextGen Advisory
Committee, which is made up of members from a cross-section of the
industry, on accelerating these benefits. We are focusing on four
areas: Performance Based Navigation . . . the sharing of surface
operations data with industry . . . implementing multiple runway
operations . . . and Data Communications. These four areas offer the
greatest opportunity to deliver benefits in the short term without
requiring additional cockpit equipage.
Right-sizing
But as we build these new capabilities, we need to also work to
better match our assets and services with the demands of the system--in
other words, we need to right-size the NAS. We need to pull out
redundant systems, downsize airports that were overbuilt, consolidate
facilities, and run the system more efficiently. And we need to do this
whether we are corporatized or remain a government agency.
Safety
Finally, we must continue to drive down safety risk. Our goal is to
make use of the wealth of safety data now available--from voluntary
safety reports by controllers, technicians, pilots and other aviation
industry employees . . . automated collection of air traffic operations
data . . . and also through the exchange of safety data with industry.
We envision evolving the way we conduct safety oversight to take
into account safety practices within the industry. We'll work with
operators that have strong Safety Management Systems of their own.
Through Safety Management Systems, we'll discover risks and monitor the
steps they take to mitigate or manage the risk. This way, we can
achieve compliance more efficiently. And we will be able to apply more
of our oversight resources to areas of greater risk.
On the air traffic side, we'll continue to build on our proactive
safety culture. NATCA and our workforce have contributed in so many
ways to our success in driving down safety risk. Through your ATSAP
reports, we've already made more than 260 safety enhancements. The
Professional Standards program is also a great peer-to-peer effort for
controllers to maintain the highest levels of professionalism.
The Turn Off, Tune In campaign--launched last year at this
conference--has been a big success. Together, the FAA and NATCA have
made great progress in raising awareness about the risk of
distractions, including electronic distractions--which continues to be
on the NTSB Transportation Most Wanted list for the second year in a
row. Paul Rinaldi said it pretty well--``No text . . . no call . . . no
update is worth your career or the safety of the flying public.'' The
campaign is getting some international buzz too. Our counterparts in
Hong Kong, Kenya and the Bahamas want to model our efforts. And now we
have airlines asking us to use the campaign.
Several facilities have been very creative in promoting Turn Off,
Tune In. At Charlotte Tower and TRACON, for example, they've created
stations outside the control room where employees can charge their cell
phones. It's a subtle reminder that there's no room for distractions in
the operational area. Speaking of charging up, the Fully Charged
campaign--being launched here this week--will also make a big
difference. Fully Charged is a collaborative effort among PASS, NATCA
and the FAA to reduce the risk posed by fatigue. By using de-identified
data gathered from ATSAP, operational event data and other sources,
we're gaining a more scientific understanding of the factors that
increase fatigue hazards. Fully Charged will help us take steps to
reduce the risk, both as individuals and as an agency.
In closing, I think the aviation industry is moving into a new
period with lots of change and great opportunities. The FAA and NATCA
have to stay on top of these changes. Let's continue to work together
in the areas of safety . . . modernization . . . and integrating new
vehicles. As we do that, we'll shape the future of aviation for decades
to come. And we'll make sure the FAA remains the gold standard in
aviation, here and around the world.
______
SMU Air Law Symposium
Dallas, TX
Mike Whitaker
April 3, 2014
Thanks, Charles (Tarpley--chair of the SMU Law Review board of
advisors).
It's great to be here at SMU . . . and back in the company of
aviation law professionals. I feel right at home.
I entered the airline industry through the legal door . . . but
moved to the business side about 20 years ago. But I have maintained
strong ties with the aviation bar, and it is always a pleasure for me
to speak at events like this.
I spent my entire career in the private sector--first with a law
firm, then with airlines--until I joined the FAA last June. I feel very
privileged to hold my current position. I took the position in order to
devote my efforts to moving NextGen forward--and I will talk a bit
about NextGen in my remarks. But I also took the appointment because I
thought it sounded exceptionally interesting and I thought I would also
learn allow--seeing government from the inside.
And it certainly has been interesting!
Watching the rulemaking process
Participating in a variety of Hearings
The government shutdown
Watching the budget process
I have gained a lot of insight seeing government from the inside--
none of which I will share with you today! That speech will have to
wait until I am long out of government!
But I would like to share some insights into the airline business--
where it has been and where I think it is going--as I approach 25 years
in the business.
Last month, I had the privilege of speaking at the Women in
Aviation International conference in Orlando.
That conference was attended by a lot of young people--high
school and college students looking at aviation as a career.
I was asked to talk about why aviation is such a great
career.
This is a tricky topic for someone of my generation, because by any
measure the last 25-30 years in the aviation business have been
anything but smooth!
I think I may have joined the airline business at the worst
possible moment in history.
It was 1991, just after Eastern shut down, just as PanAm was
shutting down, and I had the foresight to join TWA--right
before its first bankruptcy.
I joined the Legal Department as a litigator . . . right
before TWA filed its first Chapter 11
I used that opportunity to move out of the Legal Dept. and
join the business side of the airline--which was better than
getting laid off.
The tumultuous last 25 years can be directly traced to the
deregulation of the airline industry in 1978.
Within the first few years, it was obvious to most observers
that a round of mergers and bankruptcies was inevitable . . .
but no one imagined it would take over 30 years to complete the
process
During that time every major airline went through
bankruptcy--some went through twice; TWA holds the record with
three
Employees were furloughed and many lost their pensions
And that was BEFORE 9-11 happened
Which was followed by the financial collapse, which was
followed by sequestration
You get the picture
So as I was addressing the students and those in the early part of
their careers at the Orlando conference, I was tasked with telling them
why aviation is such a great career!
And of course it is!
I wouldn't trade it for anything!
But as I thought about it, I think there are several factors that
suggest the next 25 years will be much better than the last 25 years.
Our annual forecast shows the Nation's aviation system will
continue to grow over the next two decades with a greater
number of people expected to fly more miles each year.
The rounds of mergers and bankruptcies that began after
deregulation seem to have reached a stable state.
It's unlikely we'll see many more mergers--except at the
margins.
The next 25 years also promise to be interesting because of new
technologies and users being introduced into the system.
I want to talk about three of these technologies that I
think are game changers . . . and will give us a more
prosperous next 25 years.
In other words, aviation law will no longer be a sub-
category of bankruptcy law.
UAS
Unmanned aircraft--UAS--will have many commercial uses:
agriculture, pipeline inspections, construction, media.
You may have heard in the news that some want to use
unmanned aircraft to deliver beer to ice fishers.
We expect there will be many jobs created in the design,
manufacture, sale and maintenance of these aircraft.
For us, the challenge will be to ensure these operations are
conducted safely, and to equitably balance their needs with the
needs of current airspace users.
We're currently working to develop the regulations to
integrate these users . . . and we're working with industry to
develop a system to detect and avoid other aircraft using on
board computers and sensors. This is the key technology needed
for unmanned aircraft to integrate into our airspace.
COMMERCIAL SPACE
Commercial operators are launching payload into space at an
unprecedented rate. The second week of January had as many
launches as all of 2012.
And the last technological challenges are being conquered to
allow commercial passenger flights into space.
Some launches take off down a runway . . . most are
traditional rocket launches.
As we look to enable more operations--we have to think about
how to accommodate a vertical operation into a horizontal
airspace system.
NEXTGEN
The third technology that impacts the future in a positive way is
NextGen
NextGen is a comprehensive upgrade of our air traffic
control system--and I believe it is the most important
infrastructure project in the U.S. today.
It is a 20-year, $40 billion project that enables us to move
from a radar-based air traffic system to a satellite-based
system.
The first phase of this endeavor has been to upgrade the basic
infrastructure of the system--the hardware and software in our 20 high
altitude centers and in our regional approach towers.
Much of this technology was from the 1980s--or early--and
needed to be replaced--all while continuing to operate the
system.
That work is being completed over the next 24 months.
We also needed to install ground radio transceivers for the
satellite system
The FAA just achieved a major milestone this past month. We
completed the baseline installation of our ADS-B transceivers
throughout the United States.
As this foundational infrastructure is complete, it will enable us
to build additional capabilities into the system, including data
communications, time-based metering, closer spacing, additional runway
operations, better weather information, and more operational
flexibility and direct routings.
We have already begun to see benefits in various cities across the
country . . . and I'll just give you a few examples:
At Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, we put in place a NextGen
procedure we call RNAV Off the Ground.
Flights can now take off with 1 nautical mile distance
between each aircraft, compared to the standard 3 nautical
miles.
This procedure enables a 15-20 percent increase in
departures per hour.
In fact, American Airlines is saving $10 to $12 million
dollars in annual fuel costs at Dallas/Fort Worth \1\.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ NextGen Performance snapshots--http://www.faa.gov/nextgen/
snapshots/stories/?slide=28
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
North Texas is also one of the areas in our Metroplex Initiative.
Metroplex is a targeted application of NextGen procedures to
decrease congestion in busy metropolitan areas.
These efforts will make North Texas airspace more efficient
and improve access to airports like Dallas-Fort Worth, Dallas
Love, and other regional airports.
We have similar efforts under way in other metro areas
including: Houston, northern and southern California, Atlanta,
Charlotte, Phoenix, Cleveland and Detroit, South and Central
Florida, and Washington, D.C.
We're also seeing NextGen's benefits in places like Memphis and
Louisville.
In the fall of 2012, we revised wake turbulence separation
standards at Memphis Airport.
This means that aircraft can safely land and depart--one
behind another--slightly closer than before.
This has resulted in an increase in airport capacity by more
than 20 percent.
Of course, less time waiting to take off or land, means less
fuel burned.
FedEx is reporting a fuel savings of $1.8 million dollars
per month.
Building on that, we implemented new wake standards at
Louisville International Airport this past September. Here, UPS
is seeing 52,000 pounds of fuel savings per night on arrivals
\2\.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Jeff Tittsworth, FAA Terminal Services, Wake Turbulence
Research Program Manager, Feb. 20, 2014.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Denver area, we now have 51 satellite-based NextGen procedures
in place.
The FAA estimates these procedures will annually save
operators $4 million dollars on arrivals and departures, from
using more than 1.3 million gallons less fuel \3\.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Seth Wenchel, MITRE. MITRE Denver Post-Implementation Analysis
briefing to AJV-1. Feb. 21, 2014
And United Airlines estimates a savings of 100-200 pounds of
fuel on each arrival into Denver International Airport \4\.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ NextGen Performance Snapshots--http://www.faa.gov/nextgen/
snapshots/slides/?slide=24
We plan to deliver more benefits like these throughout the
entire country.
NextGen certainly offers many benefits for General Aviation as well.
For instance, NextGen ensures greater access to many
airports when visibility to the runway is reduced because of
fog, clouds, heavy rain or other conditions like these.
We have what we call LPV approaches--the full term is
``Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance approaches.''
LPV's provides pilots with a precise landing path that they
can see on their cockpit instrument panel.
It's beneficial for smaller aircraft including business
aircraft, helicopters, and rescue aircraft that need access to
smaller and medium-sized airports that can't afford expensive
ground-based landing equipment.
Nationwide, we've already published more than 3,300 LPV
procedures, in place at more than 1,660 airports \5\.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/
service_units/techops/nav
services/gnss/approaches/
In closing, I think the aviation industry is moving into a new period
with lots of change and great opportunities.
Through NextGen, we're making aviation safer, greener, more
cost effective, and more efficient.
The FAA is committed to expanding these benefits throughout
the country.
And we're working to safely and efficiently expand the use
of unmanned aircraft and commercial spacecraft.
As we do that, we'll shape the future of aviation for
decades to come.
______
FINAL 6/17/2014 5:10 PM
Mike Whitaker
ASO Town Hall Meeting
ASO Regional Office, Atlanta, GA
June 19, 2014
Thanks Doug [Murphy]. I'm glad to be here.
I've been at the FAA for a year now . . . and I'm proud to
work alongside people who are so skilled and dedicated.
As Doug said, I serve as the agency's Chief NextGen Officer.
NextGen is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the
country.
Before I take your questions, I'd like to talk about a few
topics today--NextGen . . . the budget . . . and our efforts to
right size the national airspace system.
NextGen
This past year, we've made great progress with NextGen and its
foundational programs.
This includes automation upgrades at our en route and key
terminal facilities.
By next spring, all 20 en route centers will be using ERAM
continuously.
Through the TAMR program, we're upgrading and standardizing
the computer systems at more than 150 terminal facilities
throughout the country.
All of this leads to a greater capacity for air traffic
controllers to more effectively handle their aircraft in their
sectors. It leads to improved efficiency for the entire
airspace system.
I'm proud to say that in March, the FAA completed the
baseline installation of the Automatic Dependent Surveillance
Broadcast, or ADS-B ground infrastructure.
We now have ADS-B coverage nearly everywhere there is radar
coverage. And in some places where there isn't radar coverage,
such as the Gulf of Mexico, mountainous regions of Colorado and
low altitude airspace in Alaska.
Last month, we flipped the switch on the Houston metroplex.
Airspace users can now benefit from 61 new satellite-based
procedures in the Houston area.
Our data communications trials in Memphis and Newark are
coming along very well. We're on schedule for deployment at 56
airports starting in 2016, including at Hartsfield-Jackson.
With these milestones accomplished, we're in a position to
really unleash the benefits of NextGen.
Going forward, the FAA's NextGen Advisory Committee has recommended
that we prioritize our efforts toward four areas:
Increasing the use of Performance Based Navigation . . .
making multiple runway operations more efficient . . .
improving surface operations . . . and implementing Data
Communications.
We believe, and industry agrees, that progress in these
areas can benefit the aviation community right away, without
requiring additional cockpit equipage.
While we're making excellent progress, our challenge has been to convey
all that NextGen does.
We have been talking about programs, but we have to talk
about what it means in terms of benefits for the user and the
public.
This is important because we want to encourage the user
community to equip with NextGen avionics in a timely manner.
And we want the public to understand why NextGen benefits
them as taxpayers.
So we're turning to YOU--our employees. We have an Idea Hub NextGen
challenge underway.
We're looking for you to send us a 90-second elevator
speech. From your perspective, tell us how NextGen is making
the system better, safer or more efficient.
How does NextGen make your job better?
How does your work help us deliver NextGen?
The challenge runs until July 6 . . . and we look forward to
hearing from all of you.
You can send a video, or a photo of old equipment and new
equipment. You can write a letter or a haiku. We'll read it.
Before I turn to budget issues--let me also mention that we recently
launched a general aviation weather safety campaign called Got
Weather.
I'm happy to report that at the end of May, we were 18
percent below our not-to-exceed metric for fatal GA accidents
this year.
We still have work to do. Nearly 75 percent of weather-
related GA accidents are fatal, according to our partners at
AOPA.
GA safety depends on the active involvement of the GA
community.
With that in mind, we launched a joint weather safety
campaign with many GA organizations last month in Alaska.
We already have more than a dozen partners, including AOPA,
EAA and NBAA as well as NTSB.
NOAA features Got Weather on its website, which gets 13
million hits daily.
Got Weather features a new topic each month. This month,
we're looking at summer flying, which means thunderstorms.
I ask you to reach out to the pilots you know and ask them
to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter. And take a look at
the Got Weather campaign website at www.faa.gov/go/gotweather.
Budget
The good news here is that Congress passed a two-year budget in
December, which provides some fiscal certainty.
It temporarily avoids the cuts we would have had to make
under the sequester.
But unless there's another fix, the sequester will be with
us again in 2016.
And even with the budget we have, it's still going to be a huge
challenge.
In 2011, we expected to have about $3.6 billion in the
Facilities and Equipment budget by now.
But instead, we're at $2.6 billion.
The F&E budget is what pays for NextGen and the maintenance
of our current airspace infrastructure.
So if we cut back on NextGen investments, we'll have to
spend more on sustaining our current infrastructure. Cutback
will delay the implementation of much needed technical upgrades
to make the system more efficient.
And we're already facing a backlog of deferred maintenance
of our facilities and equipment.
Rightsizing the NAS/MAC work
This tight fiscal climate, along with last year's sequester and
shutdown has prompted a discussion about the need for greater
budget certainty for the FAA.
Some are saying the FAA's structure should be changed--that
the Air Traffic Organization should be privatized or made semi-
autonomous (e.g., a not-for-profit government corporation).
We think these conversations are premature.
We first need to determine what problem we're trying to
solve. Is it funding? Do we need to rescope the services the
FAA provides?
Once that has been determined, a change in structure, if one
is necessary, will emerge.
We believe there is a fundamental disconnect between the services we
provide and how we are funded.
In addition to air traffic control, we've traditionally
provided a variety of services to airspace users including
flight plans, weather briefings, updated navigation charts,
aircraft certification and pilot certificates.
We are increasingly being asked to do more with less.
In this budget atmosphere, we have to prioritize our
efforts--knowing that we cannot continue to provide all of the
services we have in the past.
We're looking at what services we might be able to stop
doing, or do differently, through innovative business methods
and technologies.
On the question of what changes to make, if any, to our services,
funding, and governance structure, we're working to build a
consensus within the aviation community.
We've asked the FAA's Management Advisory Council (MAC)--
which include members from industry and labor throughout the
aviation community--to help us with this process.
Over the past three months, the MAC has spent a lot of time
gathering the input of our external stakeholders as well as the
agency's top leadership.
The MAC will build on this work to provide us with some
recommendations as we prepare for reauthorization next year.
Innovative Savings Initiative--Pay for Success
As we think about being more cost effective at the agency
level, we know that there are cost savings to be realized at
the local level.
You know your facilities and offices best . . . and you know
where you can find cost savings.
As part of this initiative, we're giving facilities and
offices a chance to identify local ways to save money . . . and
there's an incentive--you can reinvest a portion of these
savings at the local level.
We're going to begin this initiative with a limited number
of facilities, offices and services as part of the test program
developed as a response to our ``Right-Sizing the NAS''
initiative.
The Air Traffic Organization is leading the way with a pilot
program in Indianapolis . . . Salt Lake . . . Orlando . . . and
at flight inspection and service centers, including Eastern
Service Center here in Atlanta \1\.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Facilities include Indianapolis Center and Indianapolis Tower/
TRACON; Salt Lake Center and Salt Lake TRACON; Orlando geographic
area--Central Florida TRACON, Orlando ATCT, Sanford, Orlando Executive;
All three ATO Service Centers, and Flight Inspection Services.
Let's take this opportunity to be creative. How can we be
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
more innovative and efficient in how we do our jobs?
In support of these goals, the aviation safety office held
an Idea Hub challenge earlier this year. They asked their
employees how they could streamline efforts without affecting
safety.
AVS employees responded with 70 ideas that are now being
reviewed.
We know we'll see that kind of response with this initiative
throughout the FAA.
In closing, let me just recap.
We're making great progress with NextGen.
We have to start communicating more effectively about
tangible benefits, and we look to you to help us do it.
Our budget situation continues to be a big challenge . . .
and we're in the process of reevaluating the services we
provide and how we should be funded, as we prepare for the
agency's reauthorization next year.
Now, what's on your mind?
Q&A
UAS Test Sites
As part of the current reauthorization, Congress mandated
that the FAA would work to integrate unmanned aircraft systems
into our Nation's airspace. We are meeting this mandate.
Last week, we announced that the State of Nevada's unmanned
aircraft systems test site is ready to conduct research. That's
the third of six congressionally mandated test sites to become
operational.
This site will use a ScanEagle, a fixed-wing unmanned
aircraft system. Nevada will focus on how air traffic control
procedures will evolve with the introduction of UAS into the
civil environment. They'll also monitor how these aircraft will
integrate with NextGen.
Earlier this spring, unmanned aircraft were cleared to fly
at test sites in North Dakota and Alaska.
In North Dakota, the unmanned Draganflyer will check soil
quality and the status of crops. And during the summer it will
collect data to help develop an automated count of North
Dakota's deer, elk, and bison populations.
The University of Alaska will conduct flights of the
unmanned Aeryon Scout--a 2.5 pound helicopter with cameras. It
will test the ability to locate, recognize and count
populations of wild caribou, reindeer, and musk ox.
These test sites will help us identify operational goals as
well as safety issues that we must consider when planning to
expand the use of unmanned aircraft into our airspace.
Even while we're in the testing phase, there are businesses
that already want to use unmanned vehicles for commercial
purposes. Section 333 of the FAA reauthorization provides a
bridge before the small UAS rule is finalized to be able to
authorize certain UAS operations on a case-by-case basis.
On June 2, seven film companies, in conjunction with the
Motion Picture Association of America, petitioned for
exemptions under Section 333 to let them operate before the
small UAS rulemaking is finalized.
Since then, we have also received petitions for precision
agriculture and flare stack inspections.
We might be able to expand these and other commercial
operations in tightly controlled, low-risk situations. The
point here is that this industry is really growing, and we are
working hard to make sure that it does so safely.
And earlier this month, we had the second commercial
operation by an unmanned aircraft system over the Arctic and
the first flight over land. This supports our congressional
mandate to expand Arctic small UAS operations. This industry is
evolving before our eyes.
VERA/VSIP Announcement \2\--why wasn't it more widely offered?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ An announcement should go out on 6/17 announcing this round of
VSIP/VERA pools, pending briefing to NATCA
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This year, a total of 1781 positions in various occupational
series have been identified as eligible for VERA and VSIP
pools.
The primary rationale for selecting candidates into the pool
include restructuring to consolidate or realign functions,
reducing the supervisor to employee ratio, and changing the mix
of employee skill sets.
Last year, there were more offers because of the significant
budget pressures we were facing. Some lines of business had a
strong need to offer these early outs and buy outs, and those
needs were met.
Compared to last year, this year's need is not as great, and
thus, there were fewer positions identified as eligible.
The FAA's New Performance Management Program is called Valuing
Performance (VP).
The FAA is committed to attracting, retaining, and
motivating a high performing workforce necessary to
successfully achieve the FAA's mission.
Valuing Performance (VP) is a new performance management
program that was developed in response to feedback received on
our current Performance Management System (PMS) from commentary
on IdeaHub and in Town Hall meetings.
The new program includes changes for the FAA's non-
bargaining unit employees.
It will go into effect on October 1, 2014.
VP streamlines the performance management process by
consolidating the Performance Management System (PMS) and the
Superior Contribution Increase (SCI) processes into one program
to reduce administrative workload.
We'll replace the current pass/fail system with a four-tier
rating system \3\.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Four tiers are: Does not meet, meets, exceeds, or significantly
exceeds minimum required goals and job requirements.
We'll provide a consistent criteria and definitions for each
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
of our ratings.
This will enable managers to assign ratings based on
employee performance which is tied to well-defined standards.
You can learn more about this new program on the Valuing
Performance website at my.faa.gov/go/vp
Air Traffic Controller Hiring.
As you know, the agency plans to hire more than 6,000 new
controllers over the next five years to keep pace with expected
attrition and air traffic growth.
In the last year, we have spent some time examining our
hiring process and determined that we need to make improvements
to the way we select, train, and assign air traffic
controllers. Our goal is to recruit a better qualified
candidate and reduce costs associated with testing and
training. This is important, because it's a big investment.
We've taken steps to increase the objectivity in the
assessment of candidates. In February, we issued the agency's
first nationwide vacancy announcement since 2009. In the course
of two weeks, we received more than 28,000 applications for
1,700 positions.
We also developed a new pre-employment tool, called the bio-
data assessment, designed in cooperation with the FAA Civil
Aerospace Medical Institute, or CAMI. The test was validated by
outside experts and it helped us narrow the pool of candidates
to those likely to have the greatest success as air traffic
controllers. It offers a more cost effective approach, reducing
the number of AT-SAT tests we administer.
An advantage to this process is that we'll no longer keep a
waiting list of candidates who made it through the AT-SAT test
but were not hired. We will not keep people in limbo for years.
In fact, we are moving toward an annual hiring process that
allows people to reapply if they weren't successful in a
previous screening.
It's good news that we're hiring again and that the academy
is up and running after last year's closure. We are also hiring
aviation safety inspectors and others.
______
POST-SPEECH TRANSCRIPT 10/16/2014 12:50 PM
Michael Huerta and Mike Whitaker
Employee Town Hall
FAA Auditorium
October 9, 2014
Michael Huerta: Good afternoon, everyone. I'd like to welcome
everyone to our Town Hall meeting today. And I'd like to say hello to
those who are watching on-line. I think these meetings help us to
communicate with one another and stay connected and to have a clear
sense of what's going on around the agency. So I appreciated your
taking the time to spend with us this afternoon. These meetings help us
all stay on the same page. In an organization that's as big as the FAA,
with a mission this critical as it is to the nation, it's important
that we're all pulling in the same direction.
Today, I'd like to discuss our strategic vision and initiatives.
I'd like to reiterate what we're doing . . . why we're doing it . . .
and the progress that we're making. I know we've discussed this with
you in the past. But there are still a lot of questions about it. I
want to continue this conversation with all of you now, and with our
senior leaders as well.
But before I go there, let me talk a bit about the fire at Chicago
Center and our response to it. The fire at Chicago Center on September
26 was absolutely devastating. But it also was a reminder to me why the
FAA is such an incredible organization. First and foremost, everyone
was able to evacuate the building safely. Second, our team throughout
the Midwest and throughout the Nation made sure that operations
remained safe.
Because of the fire, resulting smoke, and water from the sprinkler
system, there was extensive damage to a key part of our air traffic
equipment, including the communication system. When FAA's
Telecommunications Infrastructure--the FTI system--goes down, the
facility can't provide air traffic services.
Chicago Center activated their contingency plans, transferring
control of en route traffic to neighboring control centers in
Minneapolis, Kansas City, Cleveland and Indianapolis, as well as a very
large number of terminal facilities in the region. These facilities
stepped in right away.
The Centers are working flights longer than they normally would.
And the terminals are working flights they normally wouldn't even see.
In fact, several TRACONs have doubled their traffic count over the last
week. To support this effort, more than 140 Chicago Center controllers
have deployed to these locations and are providing their expertise of
Chicago Center's airspace.
Within a few days, we were able to build back Chicago airspace
operations to near normal levels. I want to thank all of our employees
who continue to make this contingency effort a success. People are
working very, very hard. They're doing a fantastic job in managing
under very difficult circumstances.
I also want to thank the many employees and the many contractors
who are helping to bring Chicago Center back up on its feet. The FAA
has 97 Federal employees and 92 contractors from multiple technical
specialties and vendors working around the clock to clean and restore
the equipment and systems. In addition to the onsite activities, there
are more than 60 employees and 60 contractors providing support
services from different sites around the Nation including our Tech
Center, the Command Center, the Aeronautical Center, and many other
locations throughout the system.
They're making great progress in a very short amount of time.
Remember this only happened on September 26th. We've set up 25 racks of
equipment. We've replaced about 10 miles of cable . . . and we're
restoring 835 distinct circuits. And we're in the process of
configuring and testing all of that equipment. Our target is to have
service restored to Chicago Center by this Monday, October 13th, and
we're on track to meet that.
In light of this incident, we're reviewing the agency's contingency
plans, our resiliency plans, and our security protocols, to make sure
we do everything possible to mitigate the risk of a future incident
like this one.
Teri Bristol, ATO leadership and I remain very focused on Chicago's
contingency operations and the Center's restoration efforts.
Last week, several of us traveled to the Midwest. I visit Cleveland
Center, Midway Tower, Chicago TRACON, Kansas City Center and Chicago
Center to thank all of the people that are rebuilding the
infrastructure and are keeping our system running safely.
At each facility I think all of us encountered the same thing. I
couldn't tell who was management . . . who was labor . . . who was a
controller . . . or who was a technician--all I saw was a team. One
Team--One Goal.
And while visiting these facilities, we all heard the same stories
about adjacent facilities like South Bend, Indiana, or Cedar Rapids,
Iowa, who have managed historic levels of traffic over the last week
and a half.
Mike visited our colleagues in Minneapolis and in Indianapolis,
Chicago Center and O'Hare Tower . . . and Mike, I know you have some
stories to tell as well.
Mike Whitaker: Thank you, Michael and good afternoon. I would just
echo what the Administrator said. Teri and I visited I think four days
after the event, to Chicago Center, to the tower at O'Hare, Minneapolis
and Indianapolis. The term we heard most often was esprit de corps, and
the really coming together of groups that don't often get along too
well, and don't necessarily always work well together, and someone put
it, there were some employees that left their attitudes at home
throughout this whole thing. As tragic as the event was, it was really
nice to see that teamwork and pulling together. I'll just mention one
more thing to validate that. We just had a luncheon this afternoon and
the head of A4A spoke. He opened his remarks by complimenting the FAA
on how they have handled the crisis, the sabotage in Chicago, and how
quickly they got traffic levels back up, and how quickly they're
rebuilding, so I think that's quite a testament to everybody's work.
Michael Huerta: Thank you, Mike.
I was looking at some numbers just before coming to this. Teri, I'm
wondering how we're doing it, because O'Hare is apparently running, as
of midday, traffic loads that are about 104 percent of a normal
Thursday. But it really is a testament to the work that everyone is
doing.
We all know that we're very effective when we are focused on the
mission, finding solutions to the challenges we face. We get incredibly
creative, and we find very innovative solutions to very complex
problems. It's who we are, and that's why we all came to the FAA years
ago when we all joined. We may hold different positions. We may work in
different facilities. We have different job tasks, but it's what we all
share in common. How do we keep this system safe and how do we keep it
efficient?
That is the spirit of the FAA.
A spirit behind a mission that's profound and simple at the same
time. And it's in keeping with that mission, we have to focus not just
on today. Not just on how we recover from the events of Chicago Center.
We also have to focus on the long-term, and that's where our strategic
initiatives come in. Let me turn to those now.
Our air traffic system is built on an infrastructure that we all
know is 50 years old and it's located in areas that made sense 50 years
ago. It doesn't necessarily match with our stakeholder's changing
needs. Technological advances enable us to reconsider how and where we
can most effectively provide the services that we provide.
We see emerging segments of the industry--like unmanned aircraft
and like commercial space operations--that are looking for access to
airspace they may not have had before.
We see the growing influence of other nations with rapidly
developing aviation systems.
We see our own workforce changing and in the midst of a retirement
wave.
And we have to deal with all of these changes, and all of these
trends, and at the same time do all of our work, in an increasingly
tight budget environment that forces us to make choices and to
prioritize.
Just think, it was a year ago that we were in a shutdown. And since
then we have been able to keep things on track and maintain a very safe
and a very efficient system. This isn't a time to stand pat and
congratulate ourselves on how well we are doing. We are in fact the
gold standard in aviation. But it's a time to ask the question ``what
do we need to do to keep it that way for future generations and in the
years ahead?''
Either we stay on top, or we fall behind. Just as the aviation
industry has changed . . . the technology has changed . . . we need to
continue to change in terms of HOW we do what we do.
And that's where our four strategic initiatives come in, and that's
what they are designed to do.
Let me recap what they are:
We're going to make aviation safer and smarter by consistently
applying a risk-based approach to making decisions.
We're going to deliver greater benefits through technology, through
infrastructure, and through more efficient and more streamlined
services.
We'll enhance global leadership by prioritizing our international
efforts.
And we'll recruit and develop a highly-skilled workforce that
enables us to meet the demands of the future.
The common thread that is running through all four of these is that
we will better target and prioritize our activities and our resources,
that we will rely on data in order to base our decisions. This will
include doing a better job of matching resources to needs and changing
how we provide a lot of the services that we provide. But it also
includes something else. It includes stopping some of the activities
we've traditionally done and adjusting them to fit the new environment.
As we all know that is a very, very hard thing for us to do.
Now at first glance, and I've heard it from many of you, it's
tempting to think that these four priorities are a lot like the
agency's previous strategic plans. Isn't this like the Flight Plan ten
years ago? Or isn't this like Destination 2025 five years ago? But
that's true only if you look at the headlines.
Make no mistake. This is NOT a ``flavor of the month.'' This is a
fundamental shift in HOW we do our jobs. And that is what is different.
Let me explain. If we're really going to make safety decisions
based on a level of risk, then that means we have to shift resources
away from lower risk areas toward higher risk areas. That means that
we're not treating everyone exactly the same, and we're not treating
every problem in exactly the same way. That's a big change in how we go
about a lot of our work. Our task is to figure out where we need to
focus. What are the areas of highest risk? What does the industry need?
And how do we direct resources toward that.
If we are going to build NextGen, and we are . . . if we're going
to devote resources to new user entrants, and we are . . . and if we're
going to better match our services to the needs of our stakeholders,
then we have to STOP providing certain services that are no longer
vital to our mission, or conduct them differently through innovative
technologies.
Figuring out what we're going to STOP doing is a big challenge for
us. We've all lived it, particularly as we've looked at the last couple
years. But after all, we certainly didn't become the best in the world
by doing things that were of no value.
One of our colleagues recently described the FAA as a lot like an
all-you-can-eat buffet. We keep adding things to our plate, but nothing
ever gets taken away.
Well that may be the status quo, but we know that that is
unsustainable. Doing things, simply because ``that's the way we've
always done it,'' is not something that we can afford to do anymore.
In our agency's history, if we look back, we have successfully made
these kinds of changes.
Certainly, when radar came along, we stopped lighting bonfires . .
. shining beacons . . . and using shrimp boat markers for air traffic
control. When I was in Kansas City last week, a local manager gave me
one of the original shrimp boats, which apparently are quite rare, but
that's how we used to control air traffic not that long ago.
When we started using e-mail, we did actually start buying fewer
stamps.
It's especially important now to prioritize our activities and our
services given the budget environment that we're in. The fact that
we're starting off the Fiscal Year with a Continuing Resolution that
keeps us at our 2014 funding levels through December 11th is a
challenge for us. And with the budget agreement passed by Congress last
December, we were only able to temporarily suspend a lot of the cuts we
faced under the sequester. Unless there's another fix, the sequester
will be with us again in 2016.
Since we announced our strategic initiatives, we've been working
hard to lay a foundation that will enable us to realize the vision.
For instance, as part of our risk-based decision making initiative,
we're in the process of taking the great relationship with industry and
developing an even closer relationship where we will identify safety
hazards and mitigate the risk together. In doing so, we'll be able to
achieve safety compliance much more efficiently. This is part of our
effort to evolve our safety oversight model to prioritize safety
inspection efforts based on risk. We will determine the areas of
highest risk and we need to focus our resources on those items rather
than on everything.
Mike is going to discuss some our efforts and progress with the NAS
initiative in a moment.
I'd like to briefly talk about the other two.
To support our global leadership initiative, we've set up an
agency-wide governing structure so that we can make decisions about
international efforts in a data-informed and collaborative manner. And
we've drafted an international strategic plan that states our
international priorities and identifies the resources we need to
execute it.
To support our workforce initiative, we've set up two agency-wide
steering committees, a senior level committee and one that includes
labor and management. These committees will help drive our
collaborative decision making on issues important to our current and
our future workforce. We've also started efforts to implement a more
effective, a more engaging and a more consistent on-boarding process,
so that new employees know right off the bat what it is they need to
know, and what's expected of them once they get here. And we stood up
the FAA's Leadership and Learning Institute, replacing what many of us
knew as CMEL, for manager and executive training.
These are just a few examples of how we've been laying the
groundwork over the past few months. Our task now, starting in the new
Fiscal Year, is to institutionalize these processes so they become part
of a new culture.
We need to bring a much greater sense of urgency around these
initiatives, and I'm looking forward to discussing this more fully with
our leadership team at our executive off-site meeting scheduled in
December. Our task is to realize as much of this strategic vision as
possible by 2018. We need to start by thinking from the end state, and
then walking back to identify all the things that we need to do between
now and then.
We need to be ambitious here, but many of you have heard me say
this, we cannot let the perfect be the enemy of good. Ultimately, we're
putting in place a new culture that will prevail beyond 2018 and
continue for many decades to come.
Before I turn it over to Mike, let me say that the need for change
in the aviation industry, in government, and in the FAA is clear. But
we also have to be willing to make those changes. I know we can do it,
because it's in our DNA. And we've seen it on display for the last week
and a half in Chicago. And we do it each and every day as we manage the
safest, and the most efficient aerospace system in the world. That's
why we continue to be the gold standard in aviation.
We have an opportunity to make changes today that will have a
lasting impact on the industry and our Nation in the years ahead.
As we commit to these strategic initiatives, I have every
confidence that we're going to be successful in getting there.
Thank you, and let me ask Mike to talk about the NAS initiative.
Mike Whitaker: Thank you, Michael. As you all know, the NAS
Initiative is a very large initiative. It includes a number of elements
including the rightsizing initiative that Michael has mentioned. It
includes integrating new users into the NAS. And it includes NextGen,
and what I want to do is focus on NextGen because there have been
several very significant events taking place in October so I want to
run through those three particularly significant events.
The first is that yesterday, MITRE corporation released a report
which is an independent assessment of how we're doing in NextGen. This
was initiated at the request of Ed Bolton, our Assistant Administrator
for NextGen. And was designed to give us a check in as we get to the
point where we are four or five years into rolling out NextGen to see
how we're doing.
The headline is that it really validated what you've heard us talk
about recently in that we are to the point where we are completing the
foundational part of NextGen . . . and in essence we are on track with
where we need to be with this phase of NextGen. We have completed, as
you know, the ADS-B infrastructure this year. We are completing ERAM in
the spring. And the TAMR program in the TRACON's is also on track.
You've often heard us talk about this as building the iPad. This is the
basic foundation for NextGen that will allow other capabilities to be
run in the system. It's a necessary part, and a very expensive and long
process but we're coming to the conclusion of that section of NextGen.
The MITRE report acknowledges that and acknowledges that we're now to
the point that we need to focus on rolling out capabilities for users.
That brings us to the second significant event also yesterday. We
had a meeting of the NAC, which is the NextGen Advisory Committee. This
is our primary interface with industry. We meet three times a year. At
the NAC yesterday, we completed basically what has been a year's worth
of work where we reached out to the NAC right during the pre-government
shutdown time and said tell us what you think the industry's top
priorities are. Since that time, we've worked very intensively with the
NAC and with industry, with over a hundred companies participating in a
whole series of working groups to develop very concrete plans to roll
out benefits in four particular areas: performance-based navigation,
multiple runway operations, surface data sharing, and Data Comm.
This has resulted in identifying locations, milestones, and very
definitive work plans for the FAA and for industry to complete work
over the next 24 to 36 months. That work was also rolled out yesterday.
It was presented at the NAC. We have agreed with industry on all of
these. It wasn't always obvious that we were going to be able to get to
that point--huge amount of work by all parties involved but an
important milestone. Some of the things that are captured in that work
include the Metroplex programs. You heard Houston Metroplex rolled out
earlier this year with great success--over sixty new procedures in
Houston. And then at the end of September, the North Texas Metroplex
rolled out again to great success. So we've got really good work
underway in this next phase of NextGen delivering benefits. We will
take that work with the NAC and we will present it to Congress at this
point next week, and the real work will continue over the next couple
of years.
The third thing I'll mention on NextGen for this month is that as
we complete the foundational portion, as we focus on benefits to users,
we also have to keep out eye on the future. We're very focused on the
2020 equipage mandate for ADS-B Out. This is a major milestone in the
rollout of NextGen. Our main focus right now is to make it very clear
that we have no intention of letting that date shift. The 2020 mandate
is vital to keep NextGen on track.
Later this month, we're going to have an industry call to action
that we will host here at FAA. We are bringing all of the stakeholders
together to discuss the roll out of ADS-B, what are the barriers, what
are the issues. As we individually engage with stakeholders we get a
lot of finger pointing the other way so we want to get everyone in the
same room and talk about it. I can say that if you every worried about
having a party where no one shows up, this is not one of those parties.
We have a very long list of people trying to get in, and we're managing
what's going to be certainly a very lively, but I think productive
event.
AVS has taken the laboring ore on this and has already done a huge
amount of work in understanding what the technical issues are . . .
what sort of issues we can anticipate, but I think on October 28th
we'll probably learn some new things as well.
So three really big events, and I think showing really good
progress on keeping NextGen on track.
Thanks.
[Michael take the podium]
Michael Huerta: Thanks a lot, Mike. One thing I would like to talk
about before we open it up for questions is you've been reading a lot
in the newspaper about the agency's role with respect to Ebola, and
what's been happening as part of our larger government-wide effort. I
would like to talk a little bit about that since I know that many of
you have questions about it.
First point is that this is a very big challenge, not just for the
United States but for the world. It's an international effort, and here
in the United States, it's very much an interagency effort. This is a
significant public health issue, and given its focus as a public health
issue, that necessitates that our colleagues at the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention play a leading role in making the determination
of what the entire government's response is going to be. We are working
very, very closely with our colleagues at CDC.
The FAA's interests and the FAA's role in that is secondary to
these broader public issues and concerns, but nonetheless, we do play
an important role, and it's essentially in a couple of different areas.
You heard from the President that the Nation is going to increase, and
we've already started to increase, screening of inbound passengers
coming into the United States. It's not the FAA that is conducting that
screening. It's being conducted by our colleagues at CDC and the
Customs and Border Protection. There is a plan that is in place for
extending these activities to other gateway airports around the
country. But as the principal proponent and regulator of the airport
community, we play an important information-sharing role with our
colleagues that operate airports all around the country, and are
facilitating communication between them and the public health
authorities as well as the other Federal agencies that we're dealing
with in that regard.
Second point is, we're doing a lot of communication with our
stakeholders--the airlines, the pilots and flight attendants that serve
as their crews, and ensuring that they have the information that they
need that's provided to them by our public health colleagues. Again,
it's not up to us to establish how best to combat an epidemic or an
issue such as this but it's ensuring that we serve as a vehicle for
communication and making sure that they have what they need. This is
something that is a very tightly integrated effort. It's something that
is evolving very, very fast, and it's something that has the highest
attention of the Administration. While we play a role in it, ours is
not the primary role. Our role is to support the great work that's
taking place by our colleagues at HHS, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, Customs and Border Protection, as part of a larger
administration strategy on how we deal with an important public health
issue.
So with that, we'd like to open it up for questions. . .
______
DRAFT--NOT FOR RELEASE 11/3/2014 3:27 PM
Mike Whitaker
FAA Central Region--Veteran's Recognition
November 5, 2014
Kansas City, MO
Thank you, Joe [Miniace].\1\ I'm glad to be here for today's
veterans recognition.
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\1\ Central Regional Administrator
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When our veterans sign up, they commit themselves to a cause
greater than self. Some of you have to put off plans for family or
education so you can serve your country. Some of you aren't able to see
your families for months or even years at a time.
Often, it's tough on your families. Spouses have to be both a mom
and a dad when you're on deployment. Sometimes they have to move to a
new city with each new assignment. Or they might be taking care of a
wounded soldier.
As we mark Veteran's Day, let's make a point of expressing our
gratitude to our veterans when we have the opportunity. I'd like to
take this moment do so. Could all of our veterans please stand and be
recognized?
[Lead Applause]
When many of our veterans leave active duty, they find new ways to
serve. In the Transportation Department, veterans make up more than one
quarter of our workforce \2\. In the FAA alone, we have about 15,000
veterans.
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\2\ Cynthia M. Vaughan, Director, Departmental Office of Human
Resource Management, October 28, 2014.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'd like to highlight a few of our DOT veterans who work here in
the regional office \3\.
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\3\ All three should be present in the audience.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
First, I'd like to recognize and thank Tim Coronado for his
service. Tim is a motor power and equipment safety inspector in the
Federal Railway Administration. He inspects freight rail cars and
locomotives for safety compliance. He has been a part of our military
for 29 years. Tim was in the Army, active duty for five years . . . and
continues to serve in the Army National Guard.
In 2005-2006, Tim was part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, stationed in
the City of Ramadi, where he worked as an engineering equipment warrant
officer.
Tim ran a shop that provided maintenance support for an engineering
battalion. His group was involved in building roads and other
infrastructure projects. They also repaired Humvees, bulldozers, power
generators and other motor equipment. They had to do their work while
facing the threat of incoming rockets and mortar fire--about 2-3 times
a week.
Tim says that the military helped him learn how to operate in a
safety-conscious environment, which enables him to better serve the
public as a safety inspector.
I'd also like to recognize and thank Donald Harper for this
service. Donald works in the FAA's Airports Division. He's an airport
engineer and supports the Airport Improvement Program here in the
region. He signed up with the Air Force, active duty for five years,
and he continues to serve in Kansas Air National Guard.
In 2004, Donald was deployed to Iraq--stationed at Kirkuk Air Base,
and then at Camp Victory near Baghdad in 2006. Donald was a project
engineer, and supported efforts to build infrastructure, including
repaving roads and conducting large drainage projects. He helped to set
up trauma centers and hospitals that treated injured American soldiers.
Like Tim, Donald and his service members faced the threat of rockets
and mortars several times a week, very often at night.
In 2010, Donald supported relief efforts in Haiti after the
Earthquake struck. You remember how terrible that was--7.0 on the
Richter scale . . . more than 200,000 dead . . . and 1.5 million people
displaced.
Donald worked to set up living quarters for U.S. military
personnel, which were essentially rows of tents with electrical
generators and shower units. He also helped set up hospitals for
Haitian citizens to get treatment.
And Donald was part of a team to manage the airport--making sure it
had lighting, and helping relief agencies like the Salvation Army and
the American Red Cross get their flights in and out.
Donald says that through the military, he honed the skills of
discipline, managing priorities and paying attention to detail. He
reinforced core values including integrity and honesty--all of which
enable him to continue serving the public at the FAA.
Finally, I'd like to recognize and thank Oronde [Oh--RON--DAY]
Smith for his service. Oronde is an assistant manager in the FAA's
Flight Standards Division. His team provides administrative support for
our safety inspector workforce. Oronde has served in the military for
19 years. He was in the Air Force, active duty for 10 years, where he
was on the ROTC faculty at Kansas State University. His job was to
prepare students to be fighter pilots, cargo pilots, and support staff.
Now, Oronde is a member of the reserves. He is a First Sergeant in
the 303rd fighter squadron, where he advises the commander on a wide
range of topics including the health, professional development and
wellbeing of all assigned pilots and enlisted members. He works to make
sure that pilots meet their physical and academic requirements, and
maintain their flight hours and their type rating.
In comparing his military service to his service at the FAA, Oronde
says, ``It's the same fight, just a different mission. In both jobs,
you make sure that aircraft and pilots and passengers are safe and can
get from point A to point B.''
Tim, Donald, and Oronde are only a few of the DOT's veterans who
are making great contributions for our Nation.
All of our veterans have given so much to us. Let's make a point of
giving back. There's many ways to do that. Maybe we can help a
returning vet find a job. Or help them with medical assistance . . . or
do something to help their families, especially if their loves ones are
deployed.
And let's definitely thank our veterans for their service . . . and
for fighting for the freedom we all value so much as Americans.
Thank you very much.
______
DRAFT--NOT FOR RELEASE 12/5/2014 11:36 AM
Mike Whitaker
AAAE Runway Safety Summit
December 9, 2014
Thank you, Randy [Berg, AAAE Chairman]. I'm glad to be here.
Commercial aviation is a very safe industry.
We've driven down the rate of commercial airline accidents
to an exceedingly low level.
But as good as the record is, the FAA is not satisfied.
We know there is still risk in the aerospace system--both in
the air and on the surface.
Runway safety continues to be a priority for the FAA.
Congress . . . The National Transportation Safety Board . .
. the Transportation Department's Office of the Inspector
General . . . and the FAA's own data shows that this is an area
that requires a continued focus.
The FAA takes a proactive approach that focuses on reducing safety
risk.
We're committed to preventing accidents long before they can
happen.
Our approach can be summed up in three parts: we collect . .
. we find . . . and we fix.
First, we collect safety data from many sources--
including automated air traffic data gathering tools . . .
and voluntary safety reports from pilots, air traffic
controllers, technicians and other sources.
Then, we find the potential safety hazards and assess
the risk. We also determine the root causes and precursors
of accidents.
And last, we fix the problem by putting in place
corrective actions.
Today, I'd like to talk about how we're employing this proactive
approach to ensure runway safety.
Let me start by saying that we've made great progress in reducing
serious runway incursions.
The number of serious runway incursions has gone down 77
percent since 2000.
The nationwide rate of serious runway incursions was .282
per million operations at the end of FY 2014 \1\.
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\1\ This is below the FAA's performance limit of .395 incursions
per million operations.
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Yet, an article published last month in USA Today painted a false
picture, I would argue.
The article reports that runway incursions have increased
substantially in the past decade.
But it's not always intuitive.
I'll say it again--serious runway incursions have gone down
77 percent since 2000 . . . and most of the incursions we count
involve no risk of collision.
The article's claims of an ``increase'' in overall runway
incursions is explained in part by changes the FAA made in the
way we count incursions. In 2007, the FAA reclassified it's
runway incursion count to include additional types of surface
incidents, in order to be consistent with international
aviation standards.
Then in 2012, the FAA implemented improved reporting systems
that have enabled us to capture more safety data than ever
before. More data means we're identifying more incursions--even
ones that pose no risk of collision.
So we're documenting more incursions because we're counting
more things and capturing more data.
This is a good thing--we're in a better position to nip
potentially serious problems in the bud.
This proactive, data-driven, risk-based approach is working--take for
example our efforts to reduce safety risk associated with
converging runway operations.
This includes those operations with non-intersecting runways
with intersecting flight paths.
Our safety data showed that there was a higher risk when
aircraft execute a go around that conflicted with another
aircraft departing from a non-intersecting runway, creating the
potential for collision.
To address the problem, we worked with our stakeholders, and
put in place policy changes and new automation tools at 140
airports where this risk was identified. This was one of the
most significant reductions in safety risk we've made over the
past decade.
And we're making many other efforts, both using technology and
partnerships with airports.
First, Technology. . .
We're deploying a program called Runway Status Lights, or RWSL.
RWSLs are a series of red lights embedded in the runway
pavement.
These lights provide a visual signal to pilots and vehicle
operators indicating that it is unsafe to enter, cross, or
begin takeoff on a runway.
We've deployed RWSL at 8 airports, including Orlando,
Washington Dulles, Phoenix, Houston, Minneapolis, Seattle, Las
Vegas, and Charlotte . . . and we plan to deploy it at a total
of 17 airports by 2017.
We are also working together with airports and port authorities to
implement another technology--ADS-B Out Vehicle Squitters.
These units are installed on ground vehicles, including fire
trucks and snow plows.
Like the transponder on an aircraft, these units allow the
control tower and the airport operations center to see the
ground vehicle's position.
With a tablet computer, the ground vehicle operators can see
their own position as well.
This capability helps to ensure the safety of the vehicle
operator and the aircraft on the airport surface.
Second, Collaboration. . .
The FAA is working collaboratively with airports and the aviation
community to address runway safety risk.
For example, we teamed up with the Aircraft Owners and
Pilots Association to create an online runway safety training
course for General Aviation pilots.
The course helps pilots see the potential factors that could
lead to a runway incursion, and how to prevent it.
Since the launch in 2009, there have been nearly 61,000
completions of the course . . . and next month, we expect the
new, updated course to be available.
The FAA also requires a Runway Safety Action Team (RSAT) meeting at
each towered airport once a year.
These teams include air traffic personnel, the airport
operator, and often other stakeholders like pilot groups.
The team identifies potential problem areas on the airport
surface and takes specific actions to mitigate the risk. These
actions could include: enhancing surface markings and signage .
. . vehicle driver training programs . . . and pilot education
and awareness.
Looking ahead, the FAA's Airports office is starting a new 15-year
initiative to improve taxiway geometry to reduce the likelihood
of runway incursions.
Through our safety data analysis, we've identified specific
intersections at airports around the country where there is
some safety risk associated with the geometry--it could be
something with the angle or number of taxiways intersecting the
runway at a specific location . . . a direct access from a ramp
onto a runway . . . or because the width of the pavement causes
the signs to be far away . . . or other things like this.
We want to address these ``hotspots'' before it can result
in an incident or accident.
For corrective actions, we'll use a risk-based decision
making approach--we will prioritize the locations based on the
frequency of the incursions taking place . . . the number of
operations at that airport . . . and the type of geometry
causing the most issues.
In 2015, we'll begin reaching out to the airport community
and work with them to determine corrective options and
recommend improvements.
Runway Excursions. . .
We're taking specific steps to address runway excursions as well.
Of course, this is when a departing or landing aircraft
veers off or overruns the runway surface.
Runway excursions are the most common runway accidents to
occur and account for the majority of runway fatalities.
The number of excursions has not decreased in more than 20
years, according to the International Civil Aviation
Organization.
Just like with incursions . . . and just like with all
aviation safety problems . . . we want to know the root causes,
so we can mitigate the risk.
We're actively working to improve runway safety areas, so that they
conform to a standard length, which is 1,000 feet from the
runway end at larger airports.
In some places, however, this is not practical because of
lack of land or other obstruction.
So we're employing other options. EMAS is one alternative--
it stands for Engineered Material Arresting System.
The FAA has obligated funds to put EMAS in at some airports.
EMAS uses crushable material placed at the end of a runway
to stop an aircraft that overruns the runway.
Currently, EMAS is installed at 83 runway ends at 53
airports . . . and we're continuing the deployment at
additional airports.
To date, EMAS has safely stopped nine overrunning aircraft
with a total of 243 crew and passengers aboard those flights.
These are just a few of the many efforts the FAA is making to ensure
runway safety.
In closing. . .
Just as we've made midair collisions almost nonexistent . .
. and just as we've driven down the rate of commercial airline
accidents and fatalities . . . we have to continue to take the
next big leap in safety.
The FAA is taking aim at runway safety problems . . . and
we're doing it through a proactive data-driven, risk-based
approach.
In doing so, we'll continue to maintain a very safe
aerospace system.
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DRAFT--NOT FOR RELEASE 3/13/2015 10:34 AM
Mike Whitaker
Equip 2020 meeting
Portals 3 Room
March 18, 2015
Reviewed by: Bruce DeCleene, James Marks
Thanks Hoot. I'm glad to be here.
At the FAA's Call to Action in October, many arrived with
great concerns and individual interests.
But we've been able to come together--operators, industry,
and government--to identify and resolve barriers to the
equipage of ADS-B Out.
We're making great progress.
In general aviation, we are seeing a marked uptick in equipage
More than 3,500 GA aircraft \1\ have equipped since October:
A more than 50 percent spike.
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\1\ James Marks, Aviation Safety Inspector, ADS-B/EFVS/TCAS, Flight
Standards Service, Avionics Branch (AFS-360), March 6, 2015.
I want to thank the GA Working Group for their efforts to
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address the cost concerns voiced by GA pilots and operators.
Competition amongst avionics manufacturers has led to a
dramatic cost reduction in equipage--over a 50 percent price
drop since October.
Several sources now exist for units at prices lower than
$2,000.\2\
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\2\ In February, the FAA also published a technical correction to
the rule to address concerns from the experimental aircraft community.
Experimental aircraft are not certified by the FAA, but we had
inadvertently implied that their ADS-B equipment had to be certified.
Manufacturers have already announced solutions for this market for
under $1000 (Source: Bruce DeCleene, February 17, 2015).
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We're making progress on airline equipage.
Four airlines publicly declared they will meet the 2020
deadline--Delta . . . American . . . Jet Blue . . . and FedEx
(At the Feb. 26th NAC meeting).
I want to commend the work done by the GPS Receiver Working
Group.
You reached an agreement that allows air carriers with
first and second generation receivers (e.g., SA aware) to
continue to use them until 2025, recognizing their
dedication in adopting early and it provides time to
upgrade to the best available receiver technology.
It also recognizes that we want to reward--not
punish--early adopters of technology. We want to ensure
earlier equippers have flexibility in compliance with final
standards.
This has been an unresolved issue for three years . .
. but after the Call to Action, we got an agreement in
about 60 days. It's a good example of what can be
accomplished when experts work together as a team.
I want to credit Equip 2020 for developing an equipage tracking
database.
With this effort, you'll be able to capture data from
suppliers (the solutions and products they're offering) . . .
and you'll be able capture data from the air carriers (what are
they buying?, when are they buying it?, etc.) \3\.
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\3\ The supplier database will include info on all aircraft types
(air carrier, GA). The carrier database will only include air carriers,
as it is not possible to acquire info from every GA operator. (Bruce
DeCleene, Feb. 17, 2015).
With this information, you'll be able to track the equipage
trends . . . specifically, by comparing supplier plans with air
carrier plans and spot potential risks to achieving equipage
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compliance by the deadline.
This way, we'll know if we're on track for 2020 . . . and if
not, redouble our efforts accordingly.
I also want to credit the Education and Information Working Group for
developing a strategic communications plan to encourage
equipage.
It's especially important for the GA community. We need to
let them know what the benefits of equipage are, what the
options are, etc.
The FAA Safety Teams are a key part of the FAA's outreach to
the GA folks. They will continue to provide aircraft owners and
operators with ADS-B equipage information.
We must continue to reach out to GA at key venues like
AirVenture, as we did last year.
Equip 2020 has accomplished a lot in just 4 \1/2\ months. And there's
still much more to do.
There will be another month of hard work as you continue to
establish agreements and build the specific plans.
Then, I understand you'll be shifting to bi-monthly or
quarterly meetings to assess progress and make any necessary
changes.
I look forward to staying in close touch to see the great
results in the months ahead.
Closing.
Again, I want to thank everyone for your efforts and
teamwork.
We're developing solutions for tough problems.
When all said and done, everyone here will have a lot to be
proud of.
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DRAFT--NOT FOR RELEASE 3/13/2015 3:37 PM
Mike Whitaker
Jeppesen CONNECT
March 17, 2015
Reviewed by: Mary Lou Pickel, Jesse Wijntjes, Jim Robb, Erik Amend, Jim
Linney, Brian Hint, Lynn Ray, Lisa Zagaroli, Steve Bradford
As you know, NextGen is the FAA's plan to modernize the U.S. airspace
system.
We're moving from a radar-based system to a satellite-based
system to control air traffic.
We're moving from largely voice communications, to less
error-prone digital communications. We're adding new tools that
give pilots, controllers and other users more information at
the right time.
NextGen provides greater efficiency and predictability to
our system. It will enhance safety, and help us be greener by
reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
NextGen is happening now. It's being integrated into the
airspace system every day.
NextGen's Foundation
We're on the verge of finalizing automation upgrades at 20
planned en route centers.
We're in full production mode with automation upgrades in
our terminal facilities.
With these new systems, we can process more flight
data, more efficiently, from more sensors.
All of this leads to improved efficiency for the
entire airspace and gives us the foundation to employ other
NextGen tools that track aircraft much more precisely than
radar--like ADS-B.
Last year, we completed the installation of 634 radios that
make up the ground infrastructure for ADS-B--which enables more
efficient separation of aircraft . . . and provides coverage in
the mountains and over water.
SWIM provides airspace users with a one-stop shop for real-
time data products, including weather and air traffic
information.
SWIM includes more than 60 information products that
the FAA makes available to the airlines, the Department of
Defense, and air traffic facilities . . . and we expect to
have about 115 products by the end of the year.
Last year, we completed feasibility demonstrations
with Virgin America and United Airlines to enable airborne
access to SWIM products through Electronic Flight Bags
(EFBs \1\), to provide air crews with the same information
available to air traffic controllers (info on weather,
NOTAMS about runway closures or procedural changes at the
airport). This year, we are continuing to expand on the
concept by demonstrating improved collaboration through bi-
directional information exchange between aircraft and SWIM.
Pilots can submit information including about turbulence,
temperature, and wind, to their dispatchers and they can
come up with flight preferences that they can submit to air
traffic for clearance through voice or data communications.
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\1\ This can be on the cockpit display or through commercial off
the shelf products like iPad or other smart tablets.
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NextGen's Capabilities--these are like apps that we can run on this
foundation.
Navigation (PBN)
We have implemented more than 7,000 performance-based
procedures and routes around the nation, which exceeds the
number of traditional procedures. These procedures enable more
direct routes . . . cut flight time . . . cut fuel burn and
emissions . . . and improve access to airports.