Biden will nominate a former Obama official to run the Federal Aviation Administration

President Joe Biden will nominate a former Obama administration official to lead the Federal Aviation Administration, which has been without a permanent leader for a year and a half. The White House said Thursday that Biden will nominate Michael Whitaker, who is currently the chief operating officer of a Hyundai affiliate that is working to develop an air taxi aircraft. The FAA faces a number of challenges including a shortage of air traffic controllers, aging technology, and alarm over close calls between planes. Whitaker worked at TWA and United Airlines, then was deputy FAA administrator from 2013 to 2016.