Bryan Bedford, a commercial airline CEO whom President Trump has nominated for FAA Administrator, has faced difficult questions at his Senate confirmation hearing today.
The agency has been through a tough stretch, including a mid-air collision between a commercial jet and an Army helicopter in January, several near misses, staffing issues, and continual problems in and around Newark Liberty International Airport.
“For too long, the FAA has relied on technology from the 1960s and 1970s that is unable to reliably handle the anticipated growth in airspace use. The next FAA administrator will need to provide strong and steady leadership to complete modernization projects in a timely manner but also to identify and implement what the future of the FAA and America’s airspace should be,” said Senator Ted Cruz, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
And Senator Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member, added, “The agency’s fundamental mission is safety, ensuring the United States maintains the world's safety aviation system. The tragic mid-air collision in January between the Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines Flight 5342 took the lives of 67 people and is a stark reminder what happens when the system fails. These failures underscore why we must have an Administrator who is an unwavering champion for safety, who strengthens safety standards, rather than seeking a way around them.”
Pilot unions have said that Bedford could change the current 1,500-hour experience standard for pilots, because his company, Republic Airways, pushed for a change. But Bedford refused to commit to keeping the 1,500 hours.
“What I’m saying is I don’t believe safety is static,” Bedford said. “I can commit to you that we will not have anything that will reduce safety.”
“Flying is safe, but as you know the system that manages our skies is showing its age," Bedford said in his prepared statement. “The stresses of this antiquated system truly came into view as we all returned to the skies after COVID.”
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