FAA Administrator

Q: What are the qualifications of John Dunkin (President Trump's pilot)?

A: John Dunkin has over twenty years of PIC experience, and has been flying for President Trump since 1989. He has a wide variety of jobs to include flying Trump’s Boeing 757 and overseeing his travel schedule (Lanktree, 2018).

Q: Who are the other candidates for FAA Administrator and what are their qualifications?

A: “Acting FAA Administrator Dan Elwell, who is filling in after Huerta’s departure, is also a candidate to take on the job full-time. Elwell is a former pilot and has served in various roles at the FAA for years. He also worked as an executive representing the airline industry’s trade association from 2013-2015. Republican Rep. Sam Graves, who sits on the aviation subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is also reportedly a candidate” (Lanktree, 2018).

Q: Pick two past FAA Administrators. What were their qualifications?

A: Two previous FAA Administrators were Jane F. Garvey and Michael P. Huerta (FAA Biographies, 2018). In 1997, Garvey was the first FAA Administrator to serve a five-year term. She received her Master’s degree from Mount Holyoke College, was the Massachusetts Department of Public Works commissioner, then later served as director of Boston’s Logan International Airport before joining the Federal Highway Administration in 1993, of which she held the role of administrator (FAA Biographies, 2018). Huerta received his Master’s degree out of Princeton University, and served as acting Administrator since December of 2011 before former President Obama nominated him for a five-year term in 2012. Before that role, Huerta fulfilled two senior positions at the Department of Transportation under former President Clinton from 1993 to 1998, and also served as a member of Obama’s transition team for the DOT later on. Huerta also ran his own consulting firm where he coordinated and advised his clients on transportation policy, financing, and technology. Huerta also fulfilled the role of the president for the Transportation Solutions Group of Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. (FAA Biographies, 2018).

Q: What is the job description of FAA Administrator?

A: An FAA Administrator must uphold this five-year commitment with respect, integrity, and dedication, especially since he or she is considered the face of the FAA. The Administrator is responsible for overseeing the budget, all its employees, and ensuring the safety and efficiency of the aerospace system as a whole. The current Administrator overseas the FAA’s multibillion dollar NextGen air traffic control modernization program, but I’m uncertain if the new Administrator would inherit all the specific projects, to include that one, going forward (FAA, 2018).

Q: In terms of your career and based upon the job description above, do you feel that it matters who the FAA Administrator is? Why or why not?
A: I think it absolutely matters who the FAA Administrator is because you don’t want just any mediocre person fulfilling such an important role. But I don’t, however, personally think it will affect me with my career aspirations, unless the person that gets appointed in the future wants to do something extreme like get rid of flying or female pilots in the military, etc.

References

Federal Aviation Administration (2018, January 3). FAA Administrator Biographies. Retrieved   from https://www.faa.gov/about/history/media/AOA_bios.pdf

Federal Aviation Administration (2018, January 10). Daniel K. Elwell Acting Administrator.        Retrieved from https://www.faa.gov/about/key_officials/elwell/

Lanktree, G. (2018, February 26). Newsweek: Who is John Dunkin? Retrieved from         http://www.newsweek.com/who-john-dunkin-trump-wants-his-personal-pilot-head-faa-         819300