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On Wednesday, June 11, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation will consider Republic Airways CEO Bryan Bedford’s nomination to lead the Federal Aviation Administration. Bedford is expected to face sharp questions about his resume as well as his positions on several hot-button aviation topics.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the hearing, as well essential reading from The Air Current on the state of the FAA and the crises it is facing.
In April, The Air Current detailed Bedford’s history of strong, opinionated viewpoints on a host of important aviation issues — positions that may come back to haunt him this week. Perhaps most significant of those is his longstanding criticism of pilot training requirements — known as the 1,500 hour rule — born out of the 2009 Colgan Air crash, which have forced regional carriers into an acute shortage of qualified pilots. This issue, as well as Bedford’s past exaggeration of his credentials as a commercial pilot, could spell a difficult grilling for the nominee, particularly from Democratic Senators.
Where Bedford has historically been more outspoken, acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau (who will continue as Deputy Administrator upon an administrator’s confirmation) told TAC in an exclusive interview in March that he sees his role as a quieter “inside force” at the agency. This combination of leadership styles could balance out, though Wednesday’s hearing will reveal how Bedford may be forced to refine some of his polarizing positions in order to seek broader support from the committee.
Bedford used his Senate ethics questionnaire, which TAC has reviewed, to bolster his credentials for solving the ATC staffing crisis, saying he knows “something about overcoming serious staffing challenges,” an overlapping reference to the 1,500-hour rule-induced pilot shortage.
If confirmed, Bedford will join the FAA as it faces a number of critical challenges. In April, President Donald Trump’s Administration laid out plans for what could be the single largest investment in the modernization of the nation’s air traffic control system, spurred by the January fatal midair collision near Washington, D.C. The success of that modernization effort will require Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to advocate for tens of billions of dollars from Congress to pay for the upgrades — an effort Bedford would be helping to spearhead.
The agency is simultaneously grappling with the departure of a sizable portion of its experienced career workforce, the implementation of a litany of executive orders, the finalizing of significant new rulemaking for the general aviation industry and the hiring of thousands of air traffic controllers.
Last week, Trump signed three significant executive orders designed to advance the integration of drones and advanced air mobility aircraft into the NAS as well as one that directed the FAA to effectively repeal the decades-long ban on overland supersonic flight — things that Bedford will also have to implement as administrator.
Essential reading from The Air Current:
- Bryan Bedford’s history of grabbing aviation’s third rails
- The acting FAA administrator is happy to stay off camera
- DOT seeks single ‘integrator’ for ambitious ATC modernization plan
- What’s missing from the debate over the 1,500-hour rule
- Thrust into national spotlight, aviation industry pushes for FAA budget reform
- The opportunity and obstacles on the road to ‘supercharging’ ATC hiring
Explore our full research archive here.
