Federal Aviation Administration

FAA1 Administrators, Past and Present

Updated: 4:44 pm ET January 29, 2009

Name Tenure
1. Elwood R. Quesada2 Nov 1, 1958 - Jan 20, 1961
2. Najeeb E. Halaby Mar 3, 1961 - Jul 1, 1965
3. William F. McKee3 Jul 1, 1965 - Jul 31, 1968
4. John H. Shaffer Mar 24, 1969 - Mar 14, 1973
5. Alexander P. Butterfield4 Mar 14, 1973 - Mar 31, 1975
6. John L. McLucas5 Nov 24, 1975 - Apr 1, 1977
7. Langhorne M. Bond6 May 4, 1977 - Jan 20, 1981
8. J. Lynn Helms7 Apr 22, 1981 - Jan 31, 1984
9. Donald D. Engen8 Apr 10, 1984 - Jul 2, 1987
10. T. Allan McArtor9 10 Jul 22, 1987 - Feb 17, 1989
11. James B. Busey IV11 Jun 30, 1989 - Dec 4, 1991
12. Thomas C. Richards12 Jun 27, 1992 - Jan 20, 1993
13. David R. Hinson13 Aug 10, 1993 - Nov 9, 1996
14. Jane F. Garvey14 Aug 4, 1997 - Aug 2, 2002
15. Marion C. Blakey15 Sep 13, 2002 - Sep 13, 2007

Notes

  1. On April 1, 1967, FAA's name changed from Federal Aviation Agency to Federal Aviation Administration.
  2. Effective date of Quesada's appointment. He took the oath of office on a recess appointment, Nov 5, 1958; superseded the Administrator of Civil Aeronautics, Dec 31, 1958; and was confirmed by the Senate, Mar 11, 1959. The other Administrators' tenure opening dates are the days on which they took the oath of office.
  3. Deputy Administrator David D. Thomas became acting administrator.
  4. Deputy Administrator James E. Dow became acting administrator.
  5. Quentin S. Taylor, a FAA executive nominated for Deputy Administrator, became acting administrator.
  6. Associate Administrator for Administration Charles E. Weithoner became acting administrator.
  7. Deputy Administrator Michael J. Fenello became acting administrator.
  8. Director of the New England Region, Robert Whittington became acting administrator.
  9. McArtor, Busey, Richards, and Hinson later took the oath a second time in public ceremonies.
  10. Executive Director for Policy, Plans, and Resource Management Robert Whittington became acting administrator.
  11. Deputy Administrator Barry L. Harris became acting administrator.
  12. Acting Deputy Administrator Joseph M. Del Balzo became acting administrator.
  13. Deputy Administrator Linda Daschle became acting administrator until her resignation from the agency on January 31, 1997; on February 1, 1997, Barry Valentine became acting administrator.
  14. Acting Deputy Administrator Monte Belger became acting administrator.
  15. Deputy Administrator Bobby Sturgell became acting administrator until he left the agency with the change in presidential administrations on January 20, 2009. Assistant Administrator for Regions and Centers, Ruth Leverenz, became acting deputy administrator until her retirement from the agency on January 3, 2009. Assistant Administrator for Security and Hazardous Materials, Lynne Osmus, became acting deputy administrator on January 6, 2009. Lynne Osmus became acting administrator on January 16, 2009.

4:44 pm ET January 29, 2009