REUTERS/Marco Bello/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The White House said on Thursday President Joe Biden is nominating a former senior aviation official to head the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that has been without a permanent head since April 2022. Biden is tapping Michael Whitaker, currently chief commercial officer for Supernal, a Hyundai company developing an electric air vehicle, who served as a deputy FAA administrator under President Barack Obama. "He knows aviation, he knows safety, he knows the FAA and he knows how to manage and modernize large organizations," he said. Biden's prior nominee to head the FAA Phil Washington withdrew in March after critics said he lacked aviation experience. The Air Line Pilots Association praised Whitaker's nomination and said the FAA needed "permanent, stable leadership that is safety-focused."

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Persons: Marco Bello, President Joe Biden, Biden, Michael Whitaker, Barack Obama, Steve Dickson, Mike Whitaker, Pete Buttigieg, Biden's, FAA Phil Washington, Whitaker, Whitaker's, David Shepardson, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: American Airlines, Miami International Airport, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, REUTERS, Rights, President, Hyundai, Southwest Airlines, Boeing, Cessna, Reuters, Transportation Safety, TWA, United Airlines, Flight, Foundation, The Air Line Pilots Association, Airlines for America, National, Thomson Locations: Florida, Miami , Florida, U.S, San Diego ., San Diego