Michael Whitaker, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), will resign when President-elect Donald Trump assumes office.
Boeing safety issues were a major focus during Whitaker's tenure.
- Mike Whitaker, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration, will resign when President-elect Donald Trump assumes office, as announced in a memo to staff on Thursday.
- In September, Elon Musk, a close adviser to Trump, criticized the FAA's decision to fine SpaceX $633,000 and called for Whitaker's resignation.
- The FAA announced that Deputy Administrator Katie Thomson will resign on January 10, leaving FAA assistant administrator for finance and management Mark House as the agency's senior acting official during the transition.
Mike Whitaker, the Federal Aviation Administration chief who has been in charge of the agency's response to safety issues at Boeing since the midair emergency in January, will resign when President-elect Donald Trump assumes office in the coming month.
In September, Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO and Trump adviser, criticized the FAA's decision to fine the company $633,000 for violating launch license requirements.
Trump has stated that he intends to remove several officials prior to the expiration of their terms, but he has not disclosed any details regarding the FAA.
Whitaker, who was confirmed as FAA administrator for a five-year term in October 2023, will depart from his position on January 20, the day Trump is inaugurated for his second term in the White House.
Whitaker, in a memo to employees on Thursday, stated that his confidence in meeting the safety mission at the FAA has never been stronger as he concludes his time there.
The FAA announced that Deputy Administrator Katie Thomson will resign on January 10, leaving Mark House, the agency's assistant administrator for finance and management, as the senior acting official during the transition.
Last week, Whitaker informed Reuters that he was uncertain about staying beyond January 20th as discussions with the transition team progressed.
After a door panel missing four key bolts flew off an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 jet at 16,000 feet, his tenure has been consumed with addressing Boeing safety issues.
Senator Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat who leads a subcommittee on aviation, expressed her disappointment over Whitaker's departure and commended his supervision of Boeing. "I hope the initiative he spearheaded on that front will persist," she stated.
The FAA chief has capped Boeing's production of 737 MAX planes at 38 per month and demanded significant safety improvements before restoring authority.
Boeing could take five years to reform its safety culture, according to Whitaker, who announced another audit in October. However, the company has already implemented a new parts management system and improved training.
He has faced ongoing air traffic control staffing problems and a string of near-miss incidents that have raised safety concerns.
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