USCTA Alert

July 30, 2026

Today, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau announced that he will be departing the agency after next week, according to multiple news outlets. Rocheleau reportedly informed FAA staff today at an internal town hall. While no official replacement has been named, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford expects Chief Counsel William “Liam” McKenna to step in and serve as acting FAA deputy administrator after Rocheleau leaves the agency.
 
Rocheleau joined the Trump administration in January 2025 in the aftermath of the tragic aircraft collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. He served as acting FAA administrator until July 2025 when Bryan Bedford was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and sworn in to his current position. Since then, Rocheleau has been serving as FAA deputy administrator.
 
Prior to joining the Trump administration, Rocheleau served as the chief operating officer (COO) for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) where he oversaw aircraft and flight department operations. He previously had over 20 years of experience working at FAA, including serving as associate administrator for aviation safety between 2021 and 2022. He was also a senior policy advisor at the Transportation Security Administration and an officer and special agent with the U.S. Air Force.
 
In a press release this afternoon, NBAA announced that Rocheleau will be rejoining the organization as COO where he will oversee activities relating to aircraft operations and other administrative, financial, technical, and human resources functions for the association.