Michael Whitaker (government official)

Michael Gordon Whitaker (born June 21, 1961)[1] is an American lawyer serving as the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) since October 27, 2023. He was previously the chief operating officer of Supernal. He was the deputy FAA administrator from 2013 to 2016.

For other people named Michael Whitaker, see Michael Whitaker (disambiguation).
Mike Whitaker
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration
Assumed office
October 27, 2023
PresidentJoe Biden
DeputyKatie Thomson
Preceded byPolly Trottenberg (acting)
Personal details
Born (1961-06-21) June 21, 1961
San Antonio, TX[1]
EducationUniversity of Louisville (BA)
Georgetown University (JD)

Life

Whitaker completed a Juris Doctor degree at Georgetown University Law Center.[2]

Whitaker began his aviation career as a litigator, then as assistant general counsel of international and regulatory affairs at Trans World Airlines (TWA).[2] He spent 15 years at United Airlines in a variety of roles as director, vice president and senior vice president.[2] His portfolio at the airline included commercial alliances and joint ventures, international and regulatory affairs, and strategic counsel to the chairman and chief executive officer on international matters.[2] Whitaker served as Group CEO of InterGlobe Enterprises.[2] There, he oversaw strategy and operations for four affiliate travel companies.[2]

Whitaker served as deputy administrator at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from 2013 to 2016.[2] There, he collaborated with industry and government to drive the transition of the nation’s air traffic control system from radar to a satellite-enabled surveillance technology (ABS-B).[2] Until 2023, he served as the chief operating officer of Supernal, a Hyundai Motor Group company designing an electric advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicle.[2] Whitaker is a private pilot. He serves on the board of the Flight Safety Foundation.[2] On September 7, 2023, U.S. president Joe Biden nominated him to serve as the administrator of the FAA.[3] On October 24, 2023, the United States Senate confirmed his nomination by a 98–0 vote.[3] Whitaker was sworn in by Secretary Pete Buttigieg on October 27, 2023.[4]

References
  1. "Senate Commerce Committee Nomination Questionnaire". Archived from the original on 2023-10-04. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  2. "President Biden Announces Michael G. Whitaker as Nominee for Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration". The White House. 2023-09-07. Retrieved 2023-10-25.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. Duncan, Ian (October 24, 2023). "Senate confirms new FAA administrator, filling a role vacant for 18 months". Washington Post. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  4. Davis, Jeff (2023-10-27). "FAA Administrator Whitaker Confirmed, Sworn In". Eno Center for Transportation. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
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