David Boulter, a long-time FAA official and pilot, has been appointed as the FAA's associate administrator for aviation safety, following a series of recent air safety near-miss incidents in the United States. The FAA has stated that Boulter is well-qualified to continue the important work of protecting the traveling public and enhancing the safety of air travel.
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The agency has reminded the public that the increase in air safety incidents highlights the importance of not taking safety records for granted. In the past year, the National Transportation Safety Board has investigated seven runway incursion events, including a near-miss between a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 and a Cessna Citation 560X business jet at San Diego's airport.
The FAA has responded to these incidents by holding runway safety meetings at 90 airports and issuing a safety alert to airlines regarding ground safety. The agency has acknowledged that there have been too many close calls and has been taking steps to improve its air traffic control operations. The FAA has been without a permanent administrator since April 2022, and Republican U.S. Senator Ted Cruz has criticized the number of senior FAA positions that have yet to be filled.
President Joe Biden's nominee to head the agency, Phil Washington, withdrew in March, and the White House has not yet announced a new nominee. Deputy Transportation Secretary Polly Trottenberg has been serving as acting FAA administrator in addition to her USDOT duties since June, after Billy Nolen, a prior head of aviation safety, stepped down as acting administrator. Trottenberg has announced that her last day at the FAA will be Oct. 25, citing federal vacancy rules.