Bush to nominate new FAA chief

President Bush plans to nominate Robert Sturgell to be permanent administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration for a term of five years. Sturgell is deputy and acting FAA administrator. The Senate must vote to confirm him.Sturgell replaces Marion Blakey, whose term expired last month. She will become the next president and chief executive officer of the Aerospace Industries Association, an industry trade group, in November.Before taking on the top positions, Sturgell was senior policy adviser at the National Transportation Safety Board. Earlier in his career, he was a flight operations supervisor and line pilot for United Airlines and an instructor at the Navy Fighter Weapons School.The Air Transport Association of America, an industry trade group, commended Sturgell’s nomination.“Bobby Sturgell is a highly respected leader of the aviation community,” said James May, ATA’s chief executive officer. “His distinguished and varied background, in both civil and military matters, uniquely equips him to serve as FAA administrator.”Sturgell received his bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Naval Academy and his J.D. from the University of Virginia.