US President Donald Trump has nominated Bryan Bedford, the CEO of Republic Airways, to lead the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amid growing scrutiny over a series of aviation crashes. Bedford, with over 30 years of experience in the industry, previously headed two other airlines and oversaw significant expansion at Republic.
The FAA position has been vacant since January, following Administrator Mike Whitaker’s departure after just one year in office. Bedford’s nomination received praise from airlines, who will now face key decisions on Boeing production and new aircraft variants.
Bedford will address issues such as expanding 737 MAX production capacity and approving new plane models. The FAA has been criticized for recent incidents, including mid-air collisions and fatal crashes of small planes. Trump has vowed to overhaul the nation’s aging air-traffic-control system, requiring tens of billions of dollars in funding.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-nominates-republic-airways-ceo-bryan-bedford-us-faa-head-2025-03-17