FAA

Created byFederal Aviation Act of 1958, P.L. 85-726, 72 Stat. 731 (independent Federal Aviation Agency); renamed Federal Aviation Administration and moved into DOT by the Department of Transportation Act of 1966, P.L. 89-670

Head appointed49 U.S.C. § 106(b)(1) (as rewritten by FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, P.L. 118-63, § 201(2)): Administrator appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate; 'The term of office for any individual appointed as Administrator shall be 5 years'; must be a U.S. citizen, not an active-duty member of the Armed Forces, not retired from the Armed Forces within the 7 years preceding nomination, and have 'experience in organizational management and a field directly related to aviation' (PAS)

Removal standardno statutory protection — at will (the 5-year term carries no removal restriction)

Funded underAnnual Transportation-HUD appropriations act; the bulk is financed by the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, 26 U.S.C. § 9502 (aviation excise taxes on tickets, fuel, cargo) — Airport Improvement Program grants are trust-fund contract authority; remainder of Operations from the general fund

Congressional oversightHouse Transportation and Infrastructure · Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Inspector generalDepartment of Transportation OIG (PAS IG under the Inspector General Act, 5 U.S.C. § 403)

Judicial reviewDirect, exclusive court-of-appeals review of FAA orders under 49 U.S.C. § 46110 (D.C. Circuit or circuit of petitioner's residence/principal place of business, 60 days) — no district-court APA detour; certificate actions adjudicated first before the NTSB, 49 U.S.C. § 44709