Washington, DC, October 24, 2023 – NATA (National Air Transportation Association) issued the following statement on today’s unanimous Senate vote to confirm Michael G. Whitaker as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration:
“NATA congratulates Mike Whitaker on his successful confirmation as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration and thanks members of the United States Senate for their swift, unanimous approval of a trusted industry veteran to lead the Agency. Administrator Whitaker’s extensive experience within several aviation sectors combined with his service as Deputy FAA Administrator make him well suited to steer the FAA at this critical juncture for aviation safety, industry innovation, and continued global leadership. The tremendous bipartisan support he received in both Congressional chambers and from a broad swath of industry stakeholders speaks to his qualifications as well as his character,” stated NATA President and CEO Curt Castagna. “After more than 18 months without a permanent leader at the Agency’s helm, NATA looks forward to partnering with Administrator Whitaker to recruit a resilient aviation workforce within the FAA and the industry, usher in safe commercial operation of the next generation of aircraft, and invest in our nation’s critical network of more than 5,000 airports – priorities he highlighted at his confirmation hearing earlier this month.”