'Not Qualified': Ted Cruz Tells Biden FAA Nominee To His Face That He Has No Aviation Experience

At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Wednesday about President Biden's nominee to run the Federal Aviation Agency, Phil Washington.

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[georgiathai]

Retired airline Captain, 42 year career here. The FAA Administrator should absolutely be a pilot or someone with operational aviation experience. Not some political appointee or someone with a degree and no practical experience. Aviation and its inherent risks don’t care about diversity, they don’t care what college you went to or what degree you have. They only respond to competence.

[savagecub]

As an airline Captain I ABSOLUTELY want to see someone with aviation experience in that job. Not just another political appointee.

[ssnerd]

How the HELL can somebody not involved in or part of the aviation community be considered for the job in FAA???? THIS IS MADNESS....TRUE, REAL, MADNESS!!!!

[susanhavelka]

People's lives are literally at stake with this nomination. This man has no clue what he's doing. That's completely unacceptable.

[MEGABOB]

His lack of experience should automatically bar him from even being in that room. This is beyond ridiculous.

[wtfishappening]

"It's not about qualifications, it's about the boxes they check."
-FJB

[SherriNDallasTX]

It makes me sick that the news media doesn’t blare this information day and night to inform the public.

[fosterkennel]

I remember becoming aware of the quota system in 1974. Hiring based on merit has been long gone for many years And only getting worse As time goes on. Blessings

[duncanwalker]

The FAA needs qualified and very experienced Aviators who know all about flying and not Diversity Equality and Inclusivity experience

[dariusdaguerre]

It is just shameful the way that people are forced _to disregard reality_ when it comes to trying to get black Americans—not black Africans, not blacks from West Indies—into any institution without having to face any real competition or meet any serious standards.

[silk.]

What’s really alarming is the unqualified nominees know they are not qualified, but do they think identity is all that matters and entitlement is a priority.

[callikohl]

Years ago, I worked at a small company called Duncan Aviation. I learned an enormous amount regarding aviation. One, because the owners were more than happy to educate all of the employees, and they figured the more we knew, the better we could perform our jobs. I have more knowledge about aviation than this man, and I absolutely would not qualify for this job. Get him out of there.

[jdlaurence]

This is the Best the Administration can find for our FAA ? Holy crap... unbelievable.

[JohnSmith-iljn]

We already have an affirmative action hire in the Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, we don't need more disasters.

[Matt-mosl]

He checks a box and that's ALL that matters.

[usonly]

The fact that he was nominated is terrifying, the fact that he accepted that nomination is equally terrifying

[Lomojo]

Holy crap!! This nomination is completely embarrassing. Whoever nominated him must have done so as some sort of costly joke.

[joshkennedy]

Being a retired Army CSM counts for absolute jack squat in this realm

[malibuconv]

Phil Washington couldn't keep the Homeless from destroying LA Metro Buses/Light Rail how in the Hell could he possibly run the FAA??

[eyesee]

Hell yeah! Love that he quoted Senator Cantwell as she labeled someone with 40 years experience as not meeting aviation safety standards. If that doesn’t show the complete lunacy of this Administration and the Democrats!