Trump-appointed FAA chief Dickson resigns in mid-term

The leader of the Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S. agency that oversees the country's air travel, has announced he will resign effective March 31.

FAA Administrator Steve Dickson, a former commercial pilot appointed to the post by President Trump, announced his departure Wednesday.

Dickson was nominated by Trump in 2019 and confirmed by the Senate to a five-year term.

He told agency employees in an email that he is leaving to spend more time with his family, according to The Hill newspaper.

His tenure will be noted for overseeing the changes Boeing made to its 737 Max – grounded before he was confirmed, after two crashes – which led to the aircraft returning to the airways.

He also dealt with the criticism about the FAA not having grounded the plane after the first crash. 

More recently, the FAA under Dickson focused on the deployment of 5G technology telecommunications networks. The agency has been concerned that cellular antennas near airports could interfered with pilot data, result in a safety threat.