FAA Nominee Bryan Bedford Admits He Does Not Hold a Commercial Pilot License
Bryan Bedford, CEO of Republic Airways and nominee for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) administrator position by U.S. President Donald Trump, has admitted that he does not hold a commercial pilot license, contradicting long-standing claims in his professional biography.
In a written statement submitted to the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee on June 18, Bedford acknowledged that, despite past assertions, he never officially obtained the license. This revelation directly contradicts information listed on Republic Airways’ website since 2010, which stated that Bedford held a commercial pilot license—a discrepancy first reported by Politico.
During the Senate hearing, Bedford stated:
“It is true that I completed all commercial flight training, passed the FAA written exam, and oral interview. However, due to weather delays, I was unable to take the checkride before changing jobs and therefore did not officially receive the license.”
Bedford’s nomination has reignited concerns in the aviation sector about transparency and qualifications. Given the safety-critical role of the FAA, the fact that a nominee may have misrepresented their credentials has raised alarms among several Senate members.
