Bryan Bedford, US President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), was grilled by US senators regarding aviation safety measures, including his proposal to revise a 1,500-hour pilot training rule.
At a hearing held on June 11, 2025, the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation reviewed Bedford’s nomination for FAA administrator and questioned him about the current safety status of the United States’ aviation system.
Upon announcing Bedford’s nomination hearing, US Senator Ted Cruz, Chairman of the Senate Committee, said that a deadly midair collision, multiple NOTAM outages, ground stops, and near-misses “show major safety vulnerabilities in [US] air traffic control that necessitate significant reforms.”
“The next FAA administrator will need to provide strong and steady leadership to complete modernization projects in a timely manner but also to identify and implement what the future of the FAA and America’s airspace should be,” Cruz said.
However, during the hearing, opinions about the new FAA candidate were mixed. US Senator Maria Cantwell grilled Trump’s nominee on his failure to promise that he would not weaken the 1,500-hour pilot training rule, according to a US Senate Committee statement released after the hearing.
“Your nomination does not come in a vacuum, so the Committee has obviously heard from other Trump administration officials, and we are concerned about light touch approaches in general,” Cantwell said.
Bedford has reportedly criticized the 1,500-hour rule for years, stating it “does nothing to further the goal of increased flight safety.”
During the hearing, Bedford did not dismiss the possibility that as FAA administrator, he might try to reduce the safety rule.
Since this rule was implemented in 2013, commercial aviation fatalities have decreased by more than 99% compared to the previous 20 years, the US Senate statement continued. In 2022, Bedford, who at that time was a CEO of Republic Airways, requested an exemption from the rule, but the FAA rejected the request.
Responding to Cantwell, Bedford stated that both the US Committee and the FAA need to “learn lessons of the past” and “act more collaboratively”. Speaking during the hearing, he said: “I can assure all of you that, if confirmed, my top priority will be public safety and in restoring the public’s confidence in flying.”
Unlike Cantwell, US Senator Todd Young announced his support for Beford to lead the FAA, stating that he “is exactly the type of innovative leader to implement these much-needed reforms.”
“I say this because of his demonstrated leadership in the aviation industry,” Young stated. “Bryan took over Republic Airlines after September 11th, 2001, when the industry faced tremendous challenges. He turned the company around, increased its annual revenue from $85 million to $3 billion, grew its fleet from 27 propeller crafts to 250 jets.”
The committee will now evaluate Bedford’s nomination for approval before forwarding to the full Senate for a final confirmation vote.
