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FAA Administrator Steve Dickson to resign March 31

Steve Dickson
Posted at 3:34 PM, Feb 17, 2022
and last updated 2022-02-17 15:34:14-05

Federal Aviation Administrator Steve Dickson says he is resigning and will be stepping down on March 31.

In his announcement, Dickson said he was heading back to Atlanta to spend more time with his family.

"As I expressed to FAA employees in an email sharing my decision, it’s time for me to go back to Atlanta, where my wife, Janice, and my family have been keeping a light on for me," Dickson said. "It started as a porch light, but it’s become a search light, calling me home."

Dickson has been in the role since 2019 after being nominated for the position by then-President Donald Trump, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported.

In a statement to the Washington Post and CBS News, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called him "the FAA's steady and skilled captain."

The news outlets reported that the FAA would work with the Biden administration to find Dickson's replacement.

During his tenure, the FAA faced several challenges, including a rise in unruly passengers, a sharp decline in air travel due to the coronavirus pandemic, staffing shortages, and the expansion of 5G near airports.

CNN reported that Dickson also oversaw the return of Boeing 737 Max planes after two of them crashed, killing 346 people.