June 21, Acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta testified in a nomination hearing before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation with little fanfare and very little substance. Despite a 6 minute grilling by Committee Chairman John Rockefeller regarding FAA\u2019s failure to implement new rules addressing airline pilot training in the wake of the fatal crash of Colgan Flt 3407 and questions regarding the large number of reported policy violations by air traffic controllers, Mr. Huerta\u2019s responses were very general and non specific. Senator Rockefeller\u2019s frustration became apparent when he characterized Mr. Huerta\u2019s responses as being scripted and at one point retorted, \u201cThis is not an answer at all\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mr. Huerta did address delivery of the Next Generation (NextGen) Air Transportation System in very broad terms; however, there was no mention of the delayed and highly controversial sUAS NPRM and no mention of FAAs reluctance to enact the Model Aircraft provision provided in the 2012 FAA Modernization and Reform Act.<\/p>\n
Generally the members of the committee seemed to favor\u00a0his\u00a0nomination, and If the committee approves Huerta\u2019s nomination to a five-year term, he will be considered by the full Senate, joining a backlog of more than 150 presidential nominees awaiting full upper chamber confirmation.<\/p>\n
Rich Hanson
\nAMA Government and Regulatory Affairs.<\/p>\n
Click the link below to read a complete report on the committee hearing in Bloomberg Business Week<\/em>\u2026
\nFAA Nominee Grilled by Senators on Whistle-Blowers, Rule Delays<\/a><\/p>\n