President Trump has appointed the former COO for a lobbying group to serve as the acting leader for the Federal Aviation Administration.

Oklahoma lawmaker shocked by Washington, D.C., tragedy, could lead to FAA improvements

The controller was handling jobs typically assigned to two different controllers. Read more at straitstimes.com.

The air traffic controller working at the time of the deadly plane-helicopter crash in Washington was doing the work of two people, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

Mike Whitaker, unanimously confirmed as the FAA administrator in October 2023, stepped down early from his five-year term on Jan. 20 when Trump took office and for 10 days the FAA declined to say who was running the agency on an acting basis. Trump has not yet named a permanent candidate to replace Whitaker.

The FAA is actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems, and other mental and physical conditions," Trump said.

It appears that the first major air disaster in the U.S. since 2009 has occurred while the Federal Aviation Administration does not have a permanent leader.

While that office may be ready to go to work, the FAA itself is not fully on the job. That’s because it’s without an administrator. Michael Whitaker, who had led the administration since Oct., 2023, stepped down earlier this month,

Musk has publicly clashed with the FAA and its former chief, Michael Whitaker. The Federal Aviation Administration is facing its first major aviation disaster in 16 years without a leader because Elon Musk helped push him out.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an ex-Army Black Hawk pilot, said communications between airline and military pilots usually go through air traffic control.

The country is looking for answers after an Army helicopter crashed midair with a passenger jet carrying 64 people, leaving no survivors.