Story ID: 
Alphabets Coalesce in New FAA Leader Request
By: AIN Staff
Caption: In an unusual display of harmony, leaders of 18 aviation associations signed a letter to President Bush asking that he appoint a new FAA Administrator to t
Word Count: 173
In an unusual display of harmony, leaders of 18 aviation associations signed a letter to President Bush asking that he appoint a new FAA Administrator to the normal five-year term instead of a recess appointment that might not be approved by the Senate by the end of the next session. “Our nation cannot afford a recess appointee as we face the time-critical challenge of modernizing our nation’s aviation infrastructure,” the letter stated. Despite the ongoing battle over FAA reauthorization funding between general aviation and airline interests, the Air Transport Association as well as general aviation groups signed the letter, agreeing that, “We are united in our belief that modernization is absolutely necessary and that critical decisions impacting the entire aviation infrastructure will need to be made in the next two years. If confirmed for a five-year term, the next Administrator can provide the necessary continuity and strong leadership of the interagency process to ensure that critical decisions are made in a timely manner to begin the urgent task of modernizing our aviation infrastructure.”