Steve Dickson will make his first appearance at this year’s NBAA annual convention as FAA administrator, providing two presentations on highlighting workforce and safety issues. A former Delta Air Lines senior executive and U.S. Air Force F-15 pilot, Dickson was sworn in as the FAA’s 18th Administrator in August.

To appear on October 24, the third day of the convention, Dickson will speak with high school students attending the Careers in Business Aviation Day. He will follow that with a speech providing his perspectives on business aviation safety during the NBAA National Safety Forum.

The Careers in Business Aviation event provides students with a glimpse of the business aviation industry and offers an opportunity to discuss the variety of aviation career paths. The fifth edition of the National Safety Forum will emphasize the pursuit of excellence in airmanship.

“We are honored Steve Dickson will be with us to inspire young people about the aviation careers awaiting them in science, technology, engineering, math, and beyond,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “We are equally pleased that he will be a part of the day we set aside at our convention each year to redouble our focus on safety, our industry’s highest priority.”

Dickson, who had received strong backing from numerous aviation organizations during the confirmation process, emphasized collaboration in safety during his swearing-in speech. Pointing to voluntary safety programs, he said, “The benefits of this collaboration in enhancing safety have been demonstrated time and again. We will do everything in our power to ensure the FAA promotes and ‘walks the walk’ on employee safety reporting programs.”

He also stressed that FAA will strive to be a constructive partner and seek consensus, while not losing sight of the fact that it is first a regulator.