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The U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed Bryan Bedford, former CEO of Carmel-based Republic Airways, to lead the Federal Aviation Administration, putting him in charge of the federal agency at a precarious time for the airline industry after recent accidents, including the January collision near Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people.
Bedford—who retired as CEO of Republic last week after more than 25 years in the position—was confirmed on a near party-line vote, 53-43, to serve a five-year term.
Republicans and industry leaders lauded President Donald Trump’s choice of Bedford, citing his long experience as CEO of regional airline Republic Airways. Sen. Ted Cruz, the chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, called Bedford a “steady leader with executive experience.”
But Democrats and flight safety advocates opposed his nomination, citing Bedford’s lack of commitment to the 1,500-hour training requirement for pilots that was put in place by Congress after a 2009 plane crash in New York.
Bedford, 63, declined during his confirmation hearing to commit to upholding a rule requiring 1,500 hours of training for pilots, saying only that he would not “have anything that will reduce safety.”
Sen. Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on the Commerce panel, accused Bedford of wanting “to roll back safety reforms and unravel the regulatory framework that made the United States the gold standard” in aviation safety.
Congress implemented the 1,500-hour rule for pilot training and other safety precautions after the 2009 Colgan Air crash near Buffalo, New York. In that flight, the pilot had not been trained on how to recover from a stall in the aircraft. His actions caused the plane carrying 49 people to fall from the sky and crash into a house, where another man was killed.
Families of the victims of the Colgan crash pushed for the stricter training requirements and remain vocal advocates for airline safety. They joined Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol to express concern about Bedford’s nomination.
Marilyn Kausner, the mother of a passenger on the 3407 flight, said she and other families requested a meeting with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy after Bedford’s confirmation hearing. Her husband, she said, was “discouraged” after hearing what Bedford had to say at his hearing.
Pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, made famous for safely landing a plane in the Hudson River, also opposed Trump’s pick, posting on social media that “with the nomination of Bryan Bedford to be FAA Administrator, my life’s work could be undone.”
Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, who is also on the committee, called the 1,500-hour rule an “emotional topic,” but maintained that Bedford’s approach to safety is clearly “analytical,” prioritizing what “we ascertain leads to the best safety for passengers.”
“All you have to do is look at his credentials and his testimony to be persuaded that he’s the right person for the job,” Young said.
Bedford has support from much of the industry. The air traffic controllers union noted his commitment to modernize the outdated system.
Airlines for America, a trade association for major airlines, called Bedford a “superb choice.” And United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said, having worked with Bedford, he had “total confidence in his ability to lead the FAA.”
Leaving Republic Airways
Republic Airways on July 2 announced Bedford’s retirement and his immediate replacement by David Grizzle, Republic’s board chair since 2017. Matt Koscal was promoted to president.
Grizzle previously served as chief operating officer of the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization from 2011 to 2013 and chief counsel of the FAA from 2009 to 2011.
Koscal, who joined Republic in 2014, has served in a variety of senior leadership roles, most recently as executive vice president and chief administrative officer.
Republic commended Bedford’s leadership, during which Republic grew to become one of the largest regional airlines, operating nearly 1,000 daily flights on behalf of major airline partners.
“Bryan has led Republic through extraordinary periods of challenge and transformation with clarity, compassion and integrity,” Koscal said. “I’ve had the privilege of working alongside him for more than a decade and have benefited immensely from his leadership and mentorship. As he enters his next chapter, I know I speak for the entire Republic family in expressing our gratitude and best wishes.”
“This is an exciting and important time for Republic,” Koscal added. “With a strong team in place and a clear path ahead, I’m honored to help lead our airline into its next chapter—one that I am confident will be defined by growth, innovation, superior service and reliability and—always—an unwavering commitment to safety.”
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