FAA Administrator Emerges From DC Lockdown For First AirVenture Outing

By Gene Yarbrough

FAA Administrator Steve Dickson made the annual “Meet the Administrator” conference at Oshkosh this year commenting on hot topics such as the recent flight training regulations, MOSAIC, and unleaded avgas. After the obligatory welcomes and introductions, the Administrator wasted no time and jumped in the deep end leading off with the fiasco of regulatory chaos that has the flight training industry in turmoil.

Mr. Dickson stated the reason for the upheaval the ruling has caused is directly attributable to a regulation, which was written in a manner that did not meet or deliver the original or continuing intent of the FAA. He expressed the same frustration the public shares by exasperatedly saying, “Changing laws takes a lot of time”. He went on to say that while the FAA is churning thru the regulation process to correct the situation there is a remedy available via the “LODA” process and is being implemented successfully only requiring a few days wait for the authorization to be processed.

The Administrator admitted the situation is regrettable but positive change is in the making and that continued safety thru proper flight instruction is just as important to the FAA as it is the general public.

Mr. Dickson next tackled the MOSAIC regulatory rewrite that promises streamlined aircraft certification methods, advertised to reduce the cost and hassle of new aircraft certification, again lamenting that changes at FAA are SLOW -- boy, don’t we know it. According to Dickson, the new date for initial release and public review for MOSAIC is 2023. The industry is dying and desperately needs some form of relief, airplanes cost too much and our industry titans are too weak to deny Chinese investors, yet FAA dillies and dallies at their leisure for nearly 10 yrs on this effort. Unfortunately, Nero still fiddles while Rome burns.

Unleaded avgas was the final topic on the list before awards and Q & A session. Dickson said 100 unleaded fuel is now certified and available thru at least one vendor. He went on to say there is a major movement in Europe to ban leaded fuels entirely and expects similar trend in the USA.

The Administrator moved on to FAA awards for CFI, Aviation technician, and FAAst program. Finishing up with accepting questions from Jack Pelton, EAA Chairman, and the attending public.

Mr. Dickson, comes out of the Air Force and airline industries as a high time very storied pilot and commander. He seems personable and affable to the plight of the private GA community. Hopefully his concentration and efforts will be to support and PROMOTE private GA as much as it is to promote safety of the airlines. Only time will tell, the public is watching.

FMI: www.FAA.GOV