The Biden Administration officially nominated former Denver International Airport (DIA) head Phil Washington to be the next FAA Administrator. The position requires confirmation from the United States Senate, but the legislative body generally rubber-stamps the Administration’s pick. Washington, 64, has relatively little experience in aviation. Prior to his top job at DIA, to which he was named just a year ago, Washington led the Los Angeles County Transit Authority, one of the largest in the country. Prior to that, he led Denver’s Regional Transportation District. Despite his lack of deep aviation experience, some observers think that Washington’s non-insider status might be a plus. The former FAA head, Steve Dickson, resigned earlier this year, citing family reasons, following a brutal two-plus years in which the FAA was made to answer for its actions in the disastrous certification process of the Boeing 737 Max.
