Chris Rocheleau, a 22-year FAA veteran who most recently was NBAA’s COO, has returned to the agency as FAA deputy administrator, according to multiple sources. Neither the FAA nor the White House have yet announced the appointment and did not confirm whether Rocheleau would serve as acting FAA administrator, a position that opened with the decision of Michael Whitaker to step down after holding the title for a little more than a year. Deputy administrator Katie Thompson left the agency earlier this month. 

NBAA has not been available to comment on the appointment at the FAA, but the association no longer lists Rocheleau on its website. Rocheleau joined NBAA in June 2022 to oversee the association’s activities surrounding aircraft and flight department operations, as well as the administrative, financial, and human resources functions.

He had spent the prior nearly 17 years with the FAA in various roles, rising to the position of deputy associate administrator for aviation safety. Rocheleau also has served as FAA deputy assistant administrator for policy, international affairs, and environment and chief of staff, among others. He joined the FAA in 1996 but left for a nearly four-year stint in 2002 to serve as a senior policy advisor during the early days of the then-nascent Transportation Security Administration. He also spent 10 years in the U.S. Air Force.

The Vertical Aviation International Association lauded the appointment, saying he was exceptionally well prepared for the role and understood the complexity of aviation safety. “His role is vital not only in navigating the FAA through these turbulent times but also in ensuring the highest standards of safety and regulatory compliance are upheld across the industry.”