FAA Administrator Whitaker to resign

Whitaker earned a private pilot certificate while serving as a deputy administrator and the strong support of AOPA and other aviation groups when he was nominated in September 2023. He sailed through Senate confirmation to a five-year term on a unanimous vote in October 2023.

"This has been the best and most challenging job of my career, and I wanted you to hear directly from me that my tenure will come to a close on January 20, 2025," Whitaker wrote. He did not elaborate on the reason for his departure, which he announced the day after FBI Director Christopher Wray announced he will also resign at the conclusion of the Biden administration.

"As Deputy Administrator Katie Thomson’s final day comes on January 10, Mark House, our Assistant Administrator for Finance & Management, will step in as Acting Deputy Administrator," Whitaker wrote. "Mark has 20 years of executive experience at the FAA, has served on the Management Board since 2018, and is uniquely qualified to guide the FAA and ensure a smooth transition."

“I thank Administrator Whitaker for his leadership at the FAA,” said AOPA President Mark Baker. “As a private pilot, he cares about general aviation and made sure our voices were heard.”

Whitaker's arrival ended more than a year and a half of agency leadership by acting administrators following the departure of Steve Dickson in March 2022. Whitaker's relatively brief tenure was highlighted by efforts to reduce runway incursions, air traffic control workforce challenges, and the latest safety scandal affecting Boeing, when a door panel blew off a Boeing 737 Max in flight prompting intense attention on the agency's oversight of the aerospace giant.

"Whether it was oversight of manufacturers and airlines or looking at our own processes, we enhanced the safety of the [national airspace system]," Whitaker wrote. "And it has not been business as usual for Boeing. We have dramatically increased oversight, including more inspectors and closer scrutiny over production. We are also making sure the company implements a robust safety management system, which will be crucial to an enduring safety culture."