FAA loses its No. 2 official, Chris Rocheleau, to his old private sector job

Transportation FAA loses its No. 2 official, Chris Rocheleau, to his old private sector job Comments: by Max Rego - 07/30/26 5:08 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Max Rego - 07/30/26 5:08 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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Chris Rocheleau, the deputy administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is departing the agency for his old lobbying job.

Rocheleau, who served as acting FAA administrator for the first half of last year, is returning to the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) as chief operating officer.

Prior to President Trump tapping him as the acting head of the FAA in January 2025, Rocheleau was the chief operating officer at the NBAA beginning in 2022. Rocheleau moved to the deputy administrator role once Bryan Bedford took charge as the FAA administrator in July 2025.

In a letter to his colleagues, Rocheleau said next week will be his last at the FAA and called his return to the agency a “true privilege.” Rocheleau spent two decades at the FAA prior to joining the NBAA for the first time, serving in numerous roles — a tenure interrupted in the mid-2000s by a stint at the newly-formed Transportation Security Administration.

Rocheleau wrote in his letter he was “especially proud” of the FAA’s use of AI to “enhance aviation safety” and its launch of the Modern Skies Coalition to advance the air traffic control system, among other initiatives started during his tenure.

“While I may be leaving the agency, I am even more excited about what lies ahead for the FAA,” Rocheleau wrote in the letter, which an FAA spokesperson shared with The Hill. “I look forward to seeing you continue to modernize our aerospace system, safely integrate the next generation of aircraft and aviation technologies into the National Airspace System, and further enhance safety here at home and around the globe.”

Ed Bolen, the president and CEO of the NBAA, said he was “thrilled to welcome” Rocheleau back to the association. The NBAA represents 10,000 companies and professionals that use aviation aircraft for business purposes.

“His deep commitment to service, his strategic approach to organizational management and his trusted relationships with top leaders throughout government and industry uniquely qualify him for this important role at NBAA,” Bolen said of Rocheleau in a release.

Trump appointed Rocheleau to the acting FAA administrator role less than 24 hours after the fatal midair collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River.

The crash resulted in the deaths of all 67 individuals on board the jet and helicopter, marking the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster in more than 25 years.

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