Steve Dickson, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration, says he will resign from the U.S aviation authority by the end of March 2022.
Dickson took the role as FAA administrator for a five-year term in August 2019. However, in a letter to FAA employees dated February 17, 2022, Dickson indicated that his resignation related to family reasons.
“After sometimes long and unavoidable periods of separation from my loved ones during the pandemic, it is time to devote my full time and attention to them,” Dickson said in the letter seen by Reuters.
Dickson added: “The agency is in a better place than it was two years ago, and we are positioned for great success.”
Before taking the role as FAA administrator, where he is responsible for safety, global leadership, operational excellence, and the health, welfare, and evolution of the FAA’s workforce, Dickson was senior vice president of flight operations at Delta Air Lines.
Dickison, who began his career in the military, began his aviation career as a commercial pilot flying aircraft such as Airbus A320s, Boeing 727s, Boeing 737s, Boeing 757s, and Boeing 767s.
More recently, Dickson faces a wave of criticism over concerns that a new 5G service could interfere with the altimeters on certain jets.