Surprise! Biden’s FAA Nominee Doesn’t Know Anything About Aviation
It’s all about diversity, kids.
President Joe Biden only cares about diversity. The administration doesn’t care about anything else. Only diversity.
Phil Washington, nominee for FAA administrator, could not answer any aviation questions.
The best part was when Sen. Ted Budd, a pilot, launched basic aviation questions at Washington.
Budd, who is a pilot, asked Phil Washington a number of questions on aviation policy https://t.co/WkPjRVnvTI
— David Shepardson (@davidshepardson) March 1, 2023
Budd: “What airspace requires an ADS-B transponder?”
Washington: “Not sure I can answer that question right now.”
—
Budd: “What are the six types of special use airspace that…appear on FAA charts?”
Washington: “Sorry, senator, I cannot answer that question.”
—
Budd: “What are the operational limitations of a pilot flying under BasicMed?”
Washington: “Senator, I’m…not a pilot.”
Budd: “But, obviously you’d oversee the Federal Aviation Administration, so any idea what those restrictions are under BasicMed?”
Washington: “Well, some of the restrictions I think would be high blood pressure some of them would be…”
Budd: “It’s more like how many passengers per airplane, how many pounds, and different categories, and what altitude you can fly under, and amount of knots — it’s under 250 knots — so, it’s not having anything to do with blood pressure.”
Do you want more? There’s more:
Budd: “Can you tell me what causes an aircraft to spin or to stall?”
Washington: “Again, senator, I’m not a pilot.”
—
Budd: “What are the three aircraft certifications the FAA requires as part of the manufacturing process?”
Washington: “Again, what I would say to that is that one of my first priorities would be to fully implement that Certification Act and report…”
Budd: “You know the three types?”
Washington: “No.”
Budd: “That’s type certificate, production certificate, and airworthiness certificate. Let’s just keep going and see if we can get lucky here.”
—
Budd: “Can you tell me what the minimum separation distance is for landing and departing airliners during the daytime?”
Washington: “I don’t want to guess on that, senator.”
—
Budd: “Are you familiar with the difference between Part 107 and Part 44809 when it comes to unmanned aerial standards?”
Washington: “No, I cannot, uh, spell that out…”
Budd: “Ok…”
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Comments
The subject is being discussed over at airliners dot net. The excuse is he only has to be a good administrator, not know about aviation or piloting.
That is the same sort of attitude that killed American industry. Don’t know your product, don’t know what it is you manufacture, just know how to be an administrator.
It’s funny this topic was discussed on some video game boards this past week.
Blizzard Entertainment USED to be one of the highest regarded game companies around, before they sold out to Activision and now just produce crap.
They’re releasing a new game in a couple months in a franchise that once was one of the most popular around.
And they’re advertising it by…… paying a designer to make costumes from the game and have it showcased during Fashion Week.
Because you know, if there’s a huge overlap of customer interests, its video gamers and people that watch Fashion Week.
The people in charge of these companies, particularly the woke companies, have LITERALLY NO IDEA what their customers actually want. The people running the companies now have never consumed the product they’re making, and have absolutely no interaction with the actual customers. But hey, at least they’re ‘good administrators’, right?
Or, there is little to no advertising at all. How many knew that Buick had a Regal-based sport station wagon a couple years ago? When was the last time Chevy advertised anything but trucks and electric cars?
You just be talking about Diablo IV. You should know by now Diablo Immortal is AB’s primary concern. 🤣
I don’t know why anybody is assuming this guy is a good administrator. Why is he applying for a job where he’d be in over his head?
Pride.
Well, he will be head honcho in one of the departments of the Administrative State. The tiny problem is that we are supposed to believe that the career useless people, I mean bureaucrats, are experts and we should defer to them on everything. I’m hard pressed to name anyone in this Administration that knows anything about what they are in charge of.
Atlas Shrugged is a true story, especially the part about the administrators not knowing the industry they intend to regulate.
Everyone in the Biden administration read Atlas Shrugged. but they thought that everything evil done in the book was a primer on how to run the government. And they have tried their best to copy every evil thing and make it policy.
Kind of the way they read 1984. And then merged it with Brave New World.
And there is also the issue he is in the middle of a corruption investigation from his previous position. No one on the right is ever pure enough or capable or experienced or knowledgeable enough to ever get any position while according to the left and the media no one on the left is ever too stupid, evil, brain damaged ,unqualified, inexperienced or outright criminal enough to not be voted into a position.
“ And there is also the issue he is in the middle of a corruption investigation from his previous position.”
Oh! THAT! Pshaw!
Just like Mayor Pete doesn’t know anything about trains. Freight trains.
Yes, sadly you had to clarify that remark about trains.
Even more sad is working sexual innuendo into a non-sexual topic. Closet cases do that a lot. Or, boys in middle school.
Or it has gotten past the point where I even care about the illusion of moderation. I will treat them every bit of Chevalier as they treat me.
That should read treat them shabbily.
I was wondering… Maurice has been dead for decades!
I only regret that I have but one upvote to give for that comment.
I would remind you that taking liberties in the defense of vice is no virtue!
oh that was glorious. THAT is the way to deal with diversity hires.
I saw that video earlier, sent to my pilot SIL
Flabbergasted
Scary… so ignorant
Yes, but at least he didn’t try to give long winded non answers. He was honest with his “I can’t answer that”. Stand up in that regard.
Oh he tried. They just weren’t having it.
Ahh, so we should grift him the job, short answers
Where did he say that…?
You would think they would have at LEAST selected a black pilot with leadership experience
They really don’t care if they kill us
Probably a plus
At least he has the black part down, in spades.
So you watched George Segal in “the Black Bird”. Some of those questions are very selective particularly around controlled airspace. Some of them even I can’t answer right now but the basics would be nice for someone to at least appreciate rather than show up as a good AAA…affirmative action administrator.
I would have asked a few questions but one in particular. “Who was Bessie Coleman?” (America’s First Black Female Aviatrix) I’d start with Amelia Earheart but then go to Coleman. Maybe push the envelope with first names of the brothers who pioneered flight. (No ..not the Gallo brothers… they were the first to make man high).
I once had a complete set of Amelia Earhart luggage. It all eventually got lost.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/175613108120
Oh..luggage that gets lost when flying to an island?
Earheart gained initial fame as the first female passenger flying across the Atlantic. Her records were from flying from continent to continent or island to continent. First time trying to go from a big piece of land to an island didn’t go well but she became famous for failure.
By the end, he should have been asked “Why are you even here?!?! Can you even SPELL aviation?”
A-V-ayshun!
I see what you did there!🤣🤣🤣
Cue up trombone music!
Considering American Airlines recent victory lap about having an entire flight to Australia “manned” by LBTGQEIEIO as some type of qualifications of competence the airlines don’t much care about your safety either.
Diver, I am “G”. Yet, I’d be the last one in the world to want an employer exploiting that fact. It is not who I am. It is ONLY PART.
Were I still working, and it was for some monster company with a sponsored company club forLGBTEIEIOs, I’d never even consider joining it. Why? Because that is wearing it on your sleeve. It also means – even in the companies that sing the praises of diversity – career suicide with many who Make The Decisions.
To American Airlines and similar I say, “enough!”
I, like the vast majority of Americans, really don’t care who a person sleeps with. I care about competence. It seems, however, that far too many of the intersectional class use whatever they are as a crutch to get something. Be it Lightfoot in Chicago who did such a dismal job that she didn’t even make the run-off then immediately screamed Racist or Buttegieg who, let’s face it, was hired specifically because he was gay. No-one cares. Do the job or move on.
So, if the flight doesn’t have a protected minority crew member on board then it’s white supremist? What can be disturbing is if one of those protected class manufactures an incident… it has happened…. which opens the DOJ to react. Another thing…. since British Airways have given the OK for crew members to dress/cross-dress as they wish… I guess the passengers will have to play along … or just not fly with BA.
I’m thinking black pilots with leadership experience aren’t likely to be aligned politically with the Biden short bus crew.
“Sir, do you know anything about airplanes?”
“Oh definitely. My momma used one to feed me.”
https://static.petersofkensington.com.au/images/ProductImages/458334-Large.jpg
Ya, but he hasn’t stolen anyone’s luggage yet.
Did anyone ask him what he believes the job of FAA Administrator entails and what the qualifications should be?
“Competence” is a “bug” not a feature in the Biden administration, starting at the top.
The Biden Kakistocracy
Reminds me of “do you know what a woman is”? Does he know what an airplane is?
I am still amazed that people find it surprising that a dementia riddled pedophile can’t find anyone qualified to work for him.
We all know he isn’t doing this. BTW, he has two discolored teeth on his lower right side. I keep watching to make sure it isn’t a body double. Crazy,, absolutely.
Couldn’t Joe at least have him spend a night at a Holiday Inn Express? Or watch “Airplane”?
Or, Zero Hour.
https://youtu.be/-BjU-e01zQ4
Thanks GG. I totally forgot that one. I’m passing your hyperlink to my daughter so she can provide a proper education for my granddaughter.
This is not incompetence, this is deliberate. Wake up citizens.
The Senator would probably have received better answers from ChatGPT
More appropriate would be a Magic Eight Ball. Black, you know!
Decidedly so.
Expecting a black man to know regulatory and physical facts is white supremacy. If his remote ancestors had not been slaves he would know these facts, amirite?
If his remote ancestors had not been slaves, he might never have SEEN an airplane.
Biden’s cabinet is already filled with unqualified but diverse check box candidates.
His short bus crew will continue to fill every possible position with the same kind of people, whose sole qualification for the job is filling a diversity check box so they can virtue signal.
They don’t give a damn if work gets done properly. As far as they’re concerned, the primary purpose of government is to advance their political agendas. Getting the work done for the country is not important to them.
Yellen is running around the world talking about climate change and diversity, Budageigerguy is worried about too many white men in construction jobs, Haaland knows nothing of the Department she is in charge of, Mayorkis is a disaster, Ann Carlson who is nominated to run the NHTSA knows nothing about transportation but is an Environmental Lawyer who is all in on climate change. Nominated FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter is all in on expanding the power of the FTC to advance “equity”. In fact 6 of the 8 people nominated in February by Brandon seem to have the main qualification of being woman and all in on equity and climate change. The 2 men nominated are no better.
Oops, sorry, novaculus – did not intend that fat-fingered downvote. Will attempt to upvote my apology here.
no problem
Remember when the MSM and Progressives freaked out over Trump nominating Oil Executives to run the oil stuff and financial executives to run the money side? Appoint people who actually know what they are talking about and you don’t have to know every little detail about something.
What are the three largest countries in South America and the chief exports of each?
Stuff you see on the midterm and forget.
I’d quiz him on administrative skills.
Mr. Washington, what is the Peter Principle? What is affirmative action? Would there be an immediate connection between the two?
Doubtless there are thousands of black men and women – some that will actually be homosexuals for good measure – that possess the prerequisites and would do a fine job.
This dude isn’t one of them.
Demented Joe’s handlers are purposefully destroying our Republic.
Absolutely right.
Check his political donation record because they are treating cabinet positions like ambassadorships given to ‘friends’ with no qualifications except a big checkbook.
This is truly scary. Screwing up aviation as Buttligieg has tranbsportation is going to lead to a great loss of life. And confidence. Truly horrible.
But he did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
The sad thing is that senator from WA is probably going to vote for him anyway.
Mr. Washington goes to Washington. The story of an idealistic, middle-aged, diversity hire who is savagely attacked by the entrenched power structure in his attempt to collect an undeserved salary and delegate all of his responsibilities to existing staff members.
Directed by Oliver Stone
Or, a TV serial by Ken Burns.
I hear he’s going back to college. The movie about it is “Mr. Washington Goes tonSmith”.
DEI: the worst most uninformed people leading the charge.
this type of appointment is about control–a willing dupe the admin can control and who will then exert their personal brand of control/interference over a vital component of our mobility/transport/emergency response system–jeezus
is there no one as qualified/more qualified than this guy?–the question answers itself–of course there is–then why this guy?–again, the question answers itself
faa’s actions/policies affect millions of people’s lives in real time–right now– and aviation is an unforgiving environment–to propose someone for this sppointment who lacks even a fundamental understanding of that environment is foolhardy on the one hand and downright dangerous on the other
you can hand a monkey a violin with the hope it might eventually play mozart but would not bet your life on the same
Budd: “Just tell us what you do know about airplanes.”
Washington: “Well, I know we’re not supposed to tamper with the smoke detectors.”
…
You need a pilot. Airports suck. Getting strip searched by incompetents sucks. You can’t smoke on them. They go fast. That about sums it up. Thank you, when do I start
He never got lucky
Debt to Gilbert and Sullivan’s _Pinafore_ cheerfully acknowledged.
Of legal knowledge I acquired such a grip
That they took me into the partnership,
And that junior partnership, I ween,
Was the only ship I ever had seen!
But that sort of ship so suited me,
That now I am the leader of the Queen’s Na-vee!
I grew so rich that I was sent
By a pocket borough into Parliament.
I always vote at my party’s call
And never thought of thinking for myself at all!
I thought so little they rewarded me
By making me the leader of the Queen’s Na-vee!
Stick close to your desks
And never go to sea —-
Some of the questions were a little ridiculous and overly specific, I hold an ATP and only know half of them.
He just needs to know how to administer, but he should have a basic understanding of the regulations he imposes on the rest of us.
He clearly has no idea, and should be denied.
Does he at least know the spoken alphabet?
To all those poo-pooing this nominee for lack of experience I say, just look at Pete Buttegieg and transportation.
Rest my case.
Is he one of Pedo Pete Butthead’s mentees?
Don’t know thing about aviation Don’t know nothing congestion don’t know nothing consumer protection and safety but I do no know a lot about diversity and I do know a lot about inclusion and I know the most about equity
What a wonderful world it would be.
“Now I don’t claim
To be an ‘A’ student”