HAI/ROBB COHEN PHOTOGRAPHY


Steve Dickson’s 30,000-Foot


VIEW WATCH


Administrator Dickson speak to HAI


members By Gina Kvitkovich “It’s a


passion—it’s not like work to me. And aviation is something


where you’re always


learning and discovering new or better ways to do things.”


FAA ADMINISTRATOR STEPHEN M. DICKSON attended 12 different schools as his family moved to posts across the United States and around the world for his father’s career as a US Air Force pilot. After graduating from the US Air Force Academy, Dickson, too, flew for the Air Force. He moved to Delta Air Lines in 1991 to work as a line pilot and also earned a law degree along the way. After various stints in Delta manage- ment, including as chief pilot and senior VP of flight operations, Dickson retired … for a brief minute before being asked by US Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to head the FAA. He was sworn in as the top US aviation official on Aug. 12, 2019. ROTOR Editor Gina Kvitkovich


sat down with Dickson in late January during his visit to HAI HELI-EXPO 2020 in Anaheim, California. Tis interview has been edited and condensed for publication.


46 ROTOR 2020 Q2


ROTOR: What drew you to aviation and what made you stay?


Steve Dickson: It’s just a passion—it’s not like work to me. And aviation is something where you’re always learning and discovering new or better ways to do things. Once I graduated from the


academy, I wanted to fly and serve my country. Tat was another thing that was attractive about joining the FAA—it was a chance for things to come full circle and


give something back to my country. I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of success in my business career; serving as FAA adminis- trator was a chance for me to bring some of that perspective and be part of a team.


Do you still fly? Not currently. I’ve


The FAA administrator talks about agency priorities, UAS integration, and managing a complex airspace.


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