Trump announces intent to nominate Dickson as FAA administrator

Stephen M. Dickson

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday his intent to nominate Stephen Dickson as Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) administrator.

Dickson also would be chairman of the Air Traffic Services Committee within the U.S. Department of Transportation. If confirmed, Dickson would serve a five-year term.

The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l issued a statement following Trump’s announcement.

“Capt. Dickson’s extensive transportation experience would give him, if confirmed, a unique opportunity to enhance the safety of commercial aviation and we look forward to learning more about his vision on working collaboratively to protect and advance the safety of our national airspace,” the statement said. “His nomination comes at a particularly critical time for the FAA, and it is our hope and expectation that the first of order business for him will be to reaffirm the agency’s steadfast commitment to safety.”

A pilot and former U.S. Air Force officer, Dickson previously served as the senior vice president-flight operations for Delta Air Lines. He oversaw crew scheduling, crew resources, pilot training and regulatory compliance, and was responsible for the operational performance and safety of Delta’s global flight operations.

Dickson also has served on federal advisory committees and was the chairman of several industry stakeholder groups.