President Joe Biden’s decide to go the company liable for making certain that airplanes and their passengers are protected as soon as broken his personal small aircraft when he botched a touchdown.
Mike Whitaker has spoken publicly a number of occasions concerning the mishap, which occurred in 2015 at Maryland’s Freeway Airport when he was deputy administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration. However the incident has not gotten widespread consideration from the information media — till now.
Whitaker, who will seem Wednesday earlier than the Senate Commerce Committee to debate his nomination, couldn’t be instantly reached for remark. He known as the accident a studying expertise throughout an Plane Homeowners and Pilots Affiliation occasion in 2015. If confirmed, Whitaker would lead an company grappling with a rash of and challenges in replenishing its .
In a press release Tuesday responding to POLITICO’s questions concerning the incident, a White Home official urged Whitaker’s “swift affirmation.”
“Mike Whitaker has spoken publicly a number of occasions about this occasion and reported the incident as required,” the official mentioned. “Whitaker has over 30 years of aviation expertise, and broad assist from labor unions and business stakeholders.”
Tricia Enright, the spokesperson for Democrats on the Senate Commerce Committee vetting his nomination, mentioned Wednesday that Whitaker “is aware of first-hand how difficult flying will be.” She added that committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) “believes his willingness to study and share his expertise demonstrates his dedication to security.”
Whitaker’s private expertise contained in the cockpit is only one factor that distinguishes him from Biden’s earlier FAA nominee, Denver airport CEO Phil Washington, who took a pounding from Republicans over his comparatively skinny aviation resume.
Based on the Nationwide Transportation Security Board, the Might 2015 accident occurred when sturdy winds pressured Whitaker to abort his try and land his Cessna 172. He landed on the second go however put his aircraft down too laborious on the runway. No person was damage, however the aircraft suffered “substantial harm,” the NTSB mentioned .
The NTSB, an unbiased company that investigates transportation accidents, mentioned eyewitness interviews prompt Whitaker had landed “excessive and quick.”
“The airplane touched down on the primary touchdown gear and subsequently bounced a number of occasions earlier than coming to a cease,” learn the report, which attributed the incident to pilot error.
Whitaker had solely gotten his personal pilot’s license in 2014.
“On reflection that was a bit over my head in that sort of a visit at that time,” Whitaker mentioned in 2019. After sturdy winds pressured him to abort his first try and land, he mentioned he determined it was time to “put the aircraft on the runway.”
“And that’s what I did — together with the prop, so I had a bit porpoising episode down the runway,” he mentioned.
Whitaker’s nomination to steer the company has to date been obtained comparatively properly, with assist from Democrats on Capitol Hill and broad swaths of the aviation business in addition to unions, all of that are desperate to fill the put up which has been vacant since 2022.
Senate Republicans, nonetheless, are extra of a wild card. A number of key GOP senators, together with Senate Commerce Committee rating member Ted Cruz (R-Texas), had opposed Washington over his relative lack of aviation expertise.
Cruz additionally tried to stump Washington about how business airline pilots would possibly deal with an emergency in-flight, and criticized Washington when he couldn’t reply. Washington, who shouldn’t be a pilot, ultimately withdrew his title from consideration.
Cruz couldn’t be instantly reached for remark about Whitaker’s previous accident.
Whitaker is a former govt at United Airways and is now the chief working officer of Supernal, Hyundai’s electrical plane subsidiary.
