13 hours Ago By Vyte Klisauskaite
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Republic Airways, Bryan Bedford, has been named the top candidate to lead the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), according to a report by Reuters . The news comes as the new administration seeks a nominee to be appointed by President Donald Trump, following the position's vacancy since January 20, 2025. Currently, Chris Rocheleau is serving as the acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration .
Bedford has reportedly been interviewed by Trump, according to a Bloomberg source who requested anonymity due to the private nature of the discussions. The US president has yet to officially announce whether he will nominate Bedford, meaning the situation could still change. After the US president nominates a candidate for the FAA administrator position, the nomination must be confirmed by the US Senate.
The Senate typically holds hearings during which the nominee is questioned before voting to approve or reject the appointment. Mike Whitaker served as the FAA administrator under the Biden administration. He resigned on Inauguration Day after just over a year in the role.
During his tenure, he frequently clashed with Elon Musk—who now leads a group appointed by Trump to reduce government staffing—over safety concerns at SpaceX. High-profile roles in aviation Born in 1961 in the United States, Bryan Bedford, a possible new nominee for the role, has had leading C-level executive experience in the aviation industry. Bedford joined Republic Airways in July 1999 as president and CEO.
Before that, he served as president and CEO of Mesaba Holdings in Minneapolis and Business Express Airlines in Boston. Republic Airways is a US regional airline, operating under the names American Eagle, Delta Connection, and United Express, using a fleet of Embraer regional jets. During Bedford's tenure at Republic Airways, the airline grew into a $1.
3 billion revenue company with a fleet of 209 aircraft. However, like many businesses, the company faced financial challenges along the way, which led to Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings. Despite these hurdles, Republic Airways successfully navigated through these difficulties.
Notably, Bedford was named Airline Executive of the Year by Regional Airline World in 1997 and 2004 and received the same honor from Airline Business in 2009. He was also featured in the 40 Under 40 lists by the Minneapolis Business Journal in 1998 and the Indianapolis Business Journal in 2000. He holds a Bachelor's degree in accounting and finance from Florida State University, is a certified public accountant, and has commercial, multi-engine, and instrument pilot ratings.
AerCap CEO said Boeing aircraft prices could surge and Airbus could seize up to 75% to 80% of the global market as airlines seek alternatives. A focus on improving aviation safety Upon taking office, the new FAA administrator would likely have several key tasks. A top priority would be addressing ongoing safety concerns in the aviation industry and tackling staff shortages in crucial aviation roles.
The Trump administration has pledged to enhance aviation safety in the United States. In a recent interview with Fox News , Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy discussed how recent airline tragedies have intensified the department's focus on improving the future safety of aviation. In February 2025, Duffy revealed his plan to "supercharge" the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 's air traffic controllers.
Currently, the US civil aviation regulator plans to streamline its hiring process, reducing it from eight steps to five in an effort to speed up the hiring for "critical positions" in the industry. The US Transportation Secretary also stressed the importance of updating infrastructure, including new wires, radios, terminals, and other essential equipment. Trump said that he based his claims that the crash could be blamed on diversity policies within the FAA on his "common sense.
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