Congress confirmed the appointment of Bryan Bedford as the new administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Bedford, formerly the CEO of Republic Airways, will lead a workforce of more than 40,000 employees managing the nation’s airspace system, and will work closely with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to build a new state-of-the-art air traffic control system. H.R. 1, otherwise known as the One Big Beautiful Bill signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4, included a $12.5 billion investment in modernizing the nation’s air traffic control system.
“I look forward to working with Secretary Duffy and admire his leadership and commitment to delivering this new system within the next three to four years,” Bedford said. “We’re building a modern, resilient FAA—one that embraces innovation and is ready for the future demands of aviation.”
Officials said Bedford would begin immediately by visiting FAA facilities across the country to meet employees and hear their perspectives.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to join the FAA team. I have a deep respect for the important work FAA employees do to protect the safety and efficiency of our national airspace,” Bedford said. “Building trust and delivering results together will be our focus.”
Bedford’s confirmation fell largely along party lines with only one Democrat—U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)—voting in favor of his nomination.
During his confirmation hearings, Bedford said issues at the agency – chronic understaffing, air traffic controller fatigue and outdated equipment are causes for concern. However, Democrats took issue with his views on lowering the number of flight hours a commercial pilot needed before being certified to carry paying passengers.
The Air Line Pilots Association underscored their concern about Bedford’s position on lowering the 1,500-hour flight hour rule.
“We have concerns about his past efforts to lower pilot training requirements, and we will continue to bring the line pilot’s perspective to any discussions about changing these life-saving measures and hold him to his word that safety is his top priority,” Jason Ambrosi, president of ALPA, said in a statement. “Maintaining rigorous training requirements and keeping two pilots on the flight deck at all times remain top priorities for ALPA.”
Chris Rocheleau, who served as the FAA’s Acting Administrator, will now transition to the role of Deputy Administrator to support Bedford, the U.S. Department of Transportation said.