Aviation veteran Billy Nolan tapped as FAA acting Administrator

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that air industry veteran Billy Nolan has been named to serve as acting administrator when the agency’s outgoing chief Steve Dickson steps down at the end of the month.

Nolan will be moving into the interim Administrator role from his position as the FAA’s Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety, which he assumed in January. In that role, Nolan has overseen a team of more than 7,600 employees responsible for the complete span of aviation safety concerns. Nolan previously worked for several commercial airlines and served tours of duty in the US Army as an airplane and helicopter pilot and safety officer.

Nolan will take the reins from the outgoing Dickson, a Trump appointee who in February announced he’d be stepping down halfway through his five-year mandate to spend more time with his family. 

As part of its announcement, the FAA said Deputy Administrator Bradley Mims will also take on an…