Kerry Lynch stepped into the role of editor of the&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;monthly magazine in May 2022 after serving with&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;for eight years. She joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in December 2014 as a senior editor covering Washington and business aviation news. She has also served on Convention News teams, including as editor of&nbsp;HAI Convention News. Lynch previously spent 25 years with Aviation Week. During her time there, she reported for and later steered&nbsp;The Weekly of Business Aviation, oversaw business aviation content on the&nbsp;Aviation Week Intelligence Network, served on the&nbsp;Show News&nbsp;staff, and held roles as the Washington columnist for&nbsp;Business &amp; Commercial Aviation&nbsp;and&nbsp;Overhaul &amp; Maintenance&nbsp;monthly magazines. In 2021 she was honored with the National Business Aviation Association Platinum Wing Award for lifetime achievement in journalism and was the 2004 recipient of the National Air Transportation Association’s Aviation Journalism Excellence Award. She also has been a recipient of an Aerospace Media Award for business aviation (2022) and NBAA Gold Wing Award (2003, 2024). Lynch graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor of arts in journalism.

Editor, AIN monthly magazine

Kerry Lynch

Receiving strong support from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, FAA Administrator <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2023-09-07/white-house-selects-whitaker-lead-faa">nominee</a> Michael Whitaker today outlined his priorities for the agency, including enhancing safety, preparing for future technologies, and boosting the agency’s talent pipeline, particularly with air traffic controllers.
During a confirmation hearing held today on the nomination, Senate Commerce Committee chair Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) noted Whitaker’s broad support not only on Capitol Hill but also in industry and said, “This foundation of support will serve you well.” Pointing to his diverse aviation background, she further said, “Whitaker will bring a commitment to advancing aviation safety.”
Cantwell also stressed the need to complete work expeditiously on a long-term FAA reauthorization bill and in a bipartisan fashion.
Underscoring the bipartisan support for Whitaker, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chair Sam Graves (R-Washington) introduced Whitaker to the Senate panel, calling him “a nominee who has extensive qualifications in the aviation field and who is very familiar with the FAA—its importance, its intricacies, and its shortcomings.” Offering support, Graves stressed the need to get a permanent administrator confirmed, noting the position has had people in acting roles over the past 18 months.
Graves also stressed the importance of getting work done on FAA reauthorization.
Whitaker is the COO of advanced air mobility developer Supernal and has extensive experience in airline operations from his previous roles with United Airlines and Trans World Airlines. But he said he believes his experience as deputy FAA administrator under the Obama Administration from 2013 to 2016 will best enable him to make an immediate impact on the agency given his understanding of its operations.
Whitaker discussed the importance of not only maintaining the safety of the national air transportation system but building upon it. Noting the serious close calls, he said, “We simply cannot become complacent, and we must continuously improve.”
He cited a need to develop a strong leadership team and said the agency needs to focus on getting all the necessary certification reforms in place.
Whitaker also discussed the need for the FAA to rebuild its talent pipeline, saying the FAA should be “a place of choice where aviators want to build their careers. We must have a pipeline of dedicated public servants to achieve our mission.” He stressed the importance of catching up on controller training. “The shortage has been years in the making, but you have my commitment to reduce this backlog.”
Another priority is preparing for the new technologies that are in the works, which “requires the FAA to be agile and creative,"&nbsp;he said.
He fielded questions from Commerce Committee panel members about the 1,500-hour rule for airline pilots, preserving service to rural communities, maintaining contract towers, and AAM certification, among other issues.
Whitaker called the 1,500-hour rule an important part of the “fabric of our safety” and pledged not to take any steps that would erode safety. At the same time, he pointed to an aviation rulemaking committee looking into the use of simulators for training and said he would await its recommendations. He also agreed with proponents of the current rule that simulators vary in capabilities and the training environments that they present, and he said all of that must come under consideration.

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