The USA Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at present doesn’t have an Administrator. Whereas I do know politics is so polarizing these days, it’s a particularly vital function, for the reason that FAA gives oversight of nearly every part in aviation, and that’s one thing that’s wanted greater than ever. The FAA reviews to the Division of Transportation (DOT), the place Sean Duffy is Transportation Secretary.
So there’s some excellent news. President Trump has simply nominated a brand new particular person to guide the FAA, although he might get pushback from a stunning group…
Trump needs Republic Airways CEO Bryan Bedford to guide FAA
On Monday, March 17, 2025, Trump introduced that he has nominated Bryan Bedford to guide the FAA. Bedford is an skilled trade govt, with over 30 years of expertise. In a social media submit, Trump wrote the next (sure, he switches between Brian and Bryan, that’s not a typo on my half):
I’m happy to announce the nomination of Bryan Bedford to function Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). As the previous President and CEO of Republic Airways, Mesaba Airways, and Enterprise Specific Airways, Brian brings over three a long time of expertise in Aviation and Government Management to this vital place. Bryan will work with our GREAT Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, to strongly reform the Company, safeguard our exports, and make sure the security of almost one billion annual passenger actions. Congratulations Bryan!
I’m somewhat confused by the reference to safeguarding exports, since that doesn’t look like one of many FAA’s major features… what am I lacking?
Anyway, I can’t say I’m notably conversant in Bedford, although he looks as if an excellent decide to guide the FAA. He has a whole lot of invaluable expertise within the trade, notably with regional airways, and I believe that’s helpful. He has been CEO at Republic Airways for over 25 years, since 1999, in order that’s fairly a tenure. For these not acquainted, Republic is a regional airline, which operates flights on behalf of the “large three” US carriers.
Up to now, we’ve typically seen pilots nominated to guide the FAA, and I believe it’s cool to see an airline CEO chosen to guide the company, who has an excellent understanding of the way in which that airways work together with regulators.
Whereas not of any consequence, in 2010, Bedford was CEO of Frontier Airways (when Republic bought Frontier in chapter), and appeared on Undercover Boss, in order that’s type of cool.
Bedford is against the 1,500-hour rule for pilots
Broadly talking, the trade has been supportive of Bedford’s nomination, together with amongst airline executives and different trade figures. There’s one group that may not be onboard, although. As reported by The Air Present, the Air Line Pilots Affiliation (ALPA) has “considerations” about Bedford’s nomination.
Why? Effectively, Bedford has been a vocal advocate for eliminating the 1,500-hour rule for pilots. Republic, underneath the management of Bedford, had been pushing arduous for the 1,500-hour rule to be eradicated. Bedford had insisted that “regardless of the rhetoric on the contrary,” eliminating the 1,500-hour rule would “improve security.”
For these not conversant in all of this, the US has the 1,500-hour rule for changing into an airline pilot, whereby pilots want no less than 1,500 flight hours with the intention to get their Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificates, required to land a job at an airline.
That is the very best requirement of wherever on the planet, as most different international locations will let pilots fly airliners with simply a few hundred hours expertise. Nonetheless, arguably the US takes this requirement to the intense.
First it’s price contemplating the origin of this rule. In 2013, the requirement for brand new airline pilots was elevated from 250 hours to 1,500 hours, which is an enormous change. This was performed following the 2009 crash of Colgan Air flight 3407, which crashed primarily because of pilot error.
The catch is that each the captain and first officer on that flight had over 1,500 hours, in order that wouldn’t have even been an element there. Whereas I can admire the logic of desirous to make necessities to grow to be a pilot extra stringent (250 hours was arguably too low), I’m undecided what precisely this was supposed to handle.
On the floor, the will to seek out avenues that permit pilots into the airline cockpit with fewer hours is smart to me:
- A number of hours as such doesn’t make somebody an excellent pilot, however quite it comes right down to the coaching that they obtain; in different phrases, somebody spending 1,000 hours on a Cessna giving individuals first time flight classes isn’t essentially going to make them a greater airline pilot
- There’s worth to having devoted flight academies the place pilots prepare particularly for changing into airline pilots, as they’ll finally have extra related expertise than somebody who simply has 1,500 hours complete
- Turning into a pilot is dear, and that excludes lots of people who might doubtlessly have an interest on this as a profession path; if changing into a pilot could be made extra inexpensive with out compromising security, I’d contemplate that to be a fantastic factor
Not surprisingly, unions representing airline pilots are enormous followers of the 1,500-hour rule, and oppose any efforts to decrease that requirement. In spite of everything, pilots have been in a position to negotiate unbelievable pay will increase, and that has largely been due to limiting the pilot pipeline by holding necessities so excessive.
So if Bedford have been confirmed to guide the FAA, I’ve to think about that he’d push for the 1,500-hour rule to be abolished.
Backside line
President Trump has nominated Bryan Bedford to guide the FAA. Truthfully, this looks as if considered one of Trump’s higher appointments, by way of choosing somebody who has a whole lot of expertise within the trade they’d regulate. Bedford has been within the airline enterprise for a very long time, and is especially knowledgable in regards to the internal workings of regional carriers.
Nonetheless, pilots could also be against Bedford, since he needs to eliminate the 1,500-hour rule. Effectively, or no less than he did when he was CEO of an airline.
What do you make of Bedford’s nomination to guide the FAA?
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