With Washington Postponed, FAA Sticks With Nolan

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation postponed a Wednesday vote to move Phil Washington’s nomination forward, putting off the selection of the next FAA head.

Rationale varies according to rumor and allegiance, with Chairwoman of the Committee, Senator Maria Cantwell, saying the vote awaits additional information. On the other side of the aisle, rumors swirl that the nomination is on the rocks, without enough votes to guarantee Washington's installation. 

As per usual, above-board, candid stances are hard to come by on Capitol Hill. One anonymous aide was quoted as saying "no member wants to be the deciding vote for an unqualified FAA administrator and risk an aviation disaster occurring on his watch."

If genuine, such a stance could stem from the previous back and forth regarding Washington's prior resume, which has vacillated between a positive and negative indicator. Those approving of his selection see him as a valuable outsider, coming in to run a regulatory body almost too closely intertwined with the industry, while those opposed see someone without adequate exposure to aeronautical regulation. His previous work touched on transportation leadership since 2000, but he only entered the airport ecosystem with his Denver hire in 2021. With much of his leadership overseeing rail and ground infrastructure, some have been leery. 

The issue was touched on when relatives of the 2019 Boeing MAX crash victims showed their support of Washington's vote, latching on to his resumé as a positive. 

"The FAA needs an outsider who can step into leadership vacuums, transform complex organizations, and resist the aviation swamp pressures toward mediocrity and malaise. The next FAA administrator must lead the effort to fully implement these key safety reforms," the families said.

So far, the confirmation vote is up in the air, with no firm date set yet. For now, acting administrator Billy Nolan will continue to ably steer the FAA ship.

FMI: www.faa.gov