The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) welcomes the announcement, made yesterday by President Donald Trump, that Chris Rocheleau has been appointed acting administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as the agency responds to the Jan. 29 midair collision between American Eagle Flight 5342 airplane and an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

President Trump announced his appointment during a White House press briefing yesterday. He will serve as acting FAA administrator until new-US President’s selected nominee is confirmed by the Senate as the next permanent administrator.

“Chris is an outstanding leader who will be good for the FAA, good for aviation and good for the country, especially at this challenging time", said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “He has demonstrated excellence at every level in the government, military and aviation industry".

Rocheleau comes to the FAA after serving the past three years as NBAA chief operating officer. Prior to joining NBAA in 2022, he held multiple roles at the FAA over his more than 20 years with the agency. He served as acting associate administrator for aviation safety, chief of staff, assistant administrator for policy, international affairs and environment, executive director for international affairs and director of the office of emergency operations and investigations.

Before his time at the FAA, he served as an officer and special agent with the United States Air Force (USAF), retiring from the USAF Reserve in 2010 as a lieutenant colonel. He was also among the first leaders of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), serving as the manager of TSA’s Intelligence Operations Watch and as the senior policy adviser to the assistant administrator for transportation policy.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Central Connecticut State University and a Master of Public Administration from City University of Seattle. He has completed the Executive National Security Program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, USAF Air Command and Staff College, and the Corporate Aviation Program at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.

See for details AVIONEWS 1 and 2.