Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen to Depart Agency This Summer

Billy Nolen, who currently serves as the Acting Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is expected to depart the agency sometime this summer, according to the Wall Street Journal and other news reports this evening. Citing a desire to focus on his family, Nolen reportedly announced his decision in a letter to FAA employees. 

In his letter, Nolen did not identify a specific date on which he plans to depart, but he suggested that it would be at the same time that a new nominee to lead FAA is announced this summer. The White House has not signaled when they plan to announce a new nominee to lead FAA after Phil Washington, who was under previous consideration, withdrew his nomination last month. The Biden Administration has also not indicated who might lead the agency after Nolen departs and until a permanent nominee is named and confirmed.

Nolen's career at FAA began in December 2021 when he was appointed as Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety to oversee all aspects of aviation safety. When former FAA Administrator Steve Dickson left the agency on March 31, 2022, Nolen was named Acting Administrator and has been serving in that role since then. He has been managing some complex issues, including the ongoing concerns surrounding deployment of the 5G C-Band network and recent safety challenges that have surfaced this year.

Prior to joining FAA, Nolen was serving as Vice President for Safety, Security and Quality for WestJet Airlines in Canada. He has also previously held safety leadership positions at Qantas Airways, Airlines for America, and American Airlines. He began his career as a pilot at American Airlines in 1989.