FAA staffing CHALENGES for the new FAA Administrator, EASA has them, too!!!
Welcome to Washington, newly nominated[1] FAA Administrator. Below is an interesting article in which the Director of EASA that he plans to deal with his agency’s “stretched resources through reorganization and digitalization.” OH, BY THE WAY, EASAemploys 800 professionals while your new organization has 45,000 on its roster. (see chart).
While the Biden Administration indicated that staffing may have hampered the safety mission, it is a clarion message of the Trump team that government need be reduced. So here are two charts that show what the FAA looks like NOW:
NOTE high number of career acting positions
Over the past 5-10 years, the agency’s mission has been expanded.
- In 1984 Commercial Space Transportation was added to the FAA. The designated co-Secretary of the Department of Government Efficiency is likely to have an opinion on that.
- The effective national airspace has been and is continuing to be EXPANDED by greater use of lower altitudes by UASs, AAMs, UAMs, eVTOL, etc.
- This is testing the capacity of the ATC to safely control traffic.
- The technology associated with these innovative aircrafts is another significant challenge to the existing Certification staff- both in terms of people and as to the advances in energy sources, powerplants, materials, flight controls, navigation…
- The global aerospace sector is growing dramatically at the same time the stature of the FAA has diminished through recent tragedies. The presence of capable “aviation diplomats” in many more countries should be considered a significant national need. Promoting the FAA standards abroad does positively impact US companies.
This is a brief summary of valid immediate needs. There are other elements of the FAA’s mission that should be strengthened.
One additional point made by Director Guillmet that will be relevant to New Mr. Administrator is what he called “A LOOMING MATURITY CRISIS.” The competence of this safety agency is found in the quality of its professionals. EASA and FAA face challenges in attracting the talent (particularly technical) needed. In order for any regulator to make judgments as to proposals made by highly compensated, talented and well educated private sector experts, the CIVIL SERVANTS must be able to respond in equal measure. A THOUGHT?
WELCOME TO WASHINGTON, the Honorable AOA-1 (him? More about possible nominee). YOUR VIEW ON THE 10TH FLOOR IS SPECTACULAR, it’s going to be a tough 5 years
EASA: Reorganization and digitalization as a response to growing demands and must Tackle Looming ‘Maturity Crisis’
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is facing a “maturity crisis” 20 years after its creation. The new Executive Director of EASA, Florian Guillermet[2], highlighted the need to tackle stretched resources through reorganization and digitalization pointed out in a hearing of the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism. The aim of these measures is to increase efficiency and meet the increasing demands of the aviation industry.
EASA, which sets the highest common safety and environmental protection standards for civil aviation in Europe, is a central institution in the European Union’s aviation safety strategy. Its tasks include developing safety and environmental regulations at European level, monitoring implementation through inspections, and providing expertise, training and research. Despite successful cooperation with national authorities in many areas, such as aircraft certification, the agency faces the challenge of adapting its structure to the growing needs of the aviation industry.
With over 800 EMPLOYEES and a wide range of tasks in a dynamic sector, it is crucial that EASA uses its resources more efficiently to continue to ensure high safety standards in Europe.
[1] From 2018 Trump’s personal pilot ‘in the mix’ to lead the Federal Aviation Administration– quote THEN “..John Dunkin, Trump’s longtime pilot, who flew him around the country on a Boeing 757 during the 2016 campaign, is on the Trump administration’s shortlist to head the FAA,.. “John Dunkin isn’t just a pilot,” an unnamed administration official told Aixos. “He’s managed airline and corporate flight departments, certified airlines from start-up under FAA regulations, and oversaw the Trump presidential campaign’s air fleet, which included managing all aviation transportation for travel to 203 cities in 43 states over the course of 21 months.
[2] Florian Guillermet is the Executive Director of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). He took up his duties in April 2024. Guillermet has over 26 years of experience in the aviation sector, having held top-level management positions at various aviation organizations in France and the European Union. Before joining EASA, he served as the Director of Air Navigation Services at France’s DSNA since June 20211. He also held the role of Executive Director at SESAR Joint Undertaking (SESAR-JU), where he led performance improvements in Air Traffic Management (ATM) safety, capacity, efficiency, and environmental impact. Guillemet’s educational background includes engineering studies in applied mathematics, computer science, and business administration at the École Polytechnique in Paris. He also holds a master’s degree in Air Transport Management and Aeronautics from the French National School for Aviation (ENAC) and studied at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)2.
