NEW FACES, CHANGING SKIES: FAA LEADERSHIP SHUFFLE AND DRONE REGULATIONS IN FOCUS

The FAA has had changes in leadership recently. Steve Dickson, who was appointed by Trump, stepped down in March 2022, and Billy Nolen took over as Acting Administrator. Nolen later left to join Archer Aviation, and Polly Trottenberg has become the new Acting Administrator. Katie Thomson has been named Deputy Administrator, and Keith Washington is now Chief of Staff.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced the new appointments, emphasizing the challenging nature of the aviation industry. A permanent FAA Administrator nomination is yet to be confirmed, with Mike Whitaker rumored to be the next nominee. FAA Reauthorization, a funding approval package for the agency, is currently being discussed in Congress.

If the Senate does not pass an FAA Reauthorization package, emergency extensions may be used to fund the FAA temporarily. The House Reauthorization package includes provisions for drone regulations, such as flight Beyond Visual Line of Sight and the expansion of FAA test sites. The FAA is working on expanding the waiver process while awaiting further rulemaking.

Source: [Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)](https://www.faa.gov)