Former ALPA President Expected to Head Up FAA ...

... in a move that is being received positively in aviation circles. In Wednesday’s edition of The Wall Street Journal, the paper reports that Randy Babbitt, former head of the Air Line Pilots Association, is expected to be nominated for FAA Administrator “within days.†He’ll have his challenges, not least of which is dealing with a Congress that has been unable to provide long-term authorization and funding. Then there’s the ongoing feud with the controllers; modernizing air traffic control; and improving the image of an agency that has been seen as too cozy with the industry it regulates following the airline inspection brouhaha last year. WSJ reports that Babbitt “gained a reputation for being politically astute and media-savvy†during his time at ALPA. The newspaper says that the announcement had been expected to be made in April, but recent aircraft accidents prompted the Obama Administration to accelerate the move. Comments Greg Principato, president of Airports Council International-North America, “Randy Babbitt is knowledgeable and highly respected; he also knows the airport industry well.  I know that if nominated and confirmed he will be an effective leader for the Federal Aviation Administration. I have worked closely with Randy over the years and look forward to doing so in the future.†Says James K. Coyne, president of the National Air Transportation Association, "I have known Randy Babbitt for more than 15 years and I think he is an outstanding selection as our next FAA Administrator.  Randy knows full-well how important modernizing our air traffic control system is, so I look forward to working with him to accomplish this critical priority."  The American Association of Airport Executives declined to comment, with spokesman Sean Broderick saying the organization preferred to wait until an official announcement was made. Babbitt has been one of the top names in the industry rumor mill for the FAA post, along with former FAA Administrator Jane Garvey. In a conversation at a Denver conference in February, former FAA Associate Administrator for Airports Woodie Woodward related that she believed Babbitt was the leading candidate, and that she thought it would be a very good choice. Woodward, now a consultant, was quite popular among airports in her time heading up the airports division, notably for her candor. Thanks for reading. jfi