FAA deputy administrator Chris Rocheleau to leave agency for National Business Aviation Association role

Chris Rocheleau, the deputy administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, is set to leave the agency to return to the private-sector aviation policy world, departing for a senior job at the National Business Aviation Association, the trade group reported and The Hill reported Tuesday.

Rocheleau has served as the FAA’s No. 2 official, a role that places him in line to help oversee day-to-day agency operations and manage FAA leadership priorities in addition to whatever responsibilities he held as acting administrator earlier this year, the report said.

Before his FAA service, Rocheleau previously worked at the NBAA, and the report said he is returning to the association as chief operating officer. In that position, the report said he would take on responsibilities tied to the group’s internal management and operations.

The timing of Rocheleau’s departure is notable because deputy administrators typically play a key role in continuity during leadership transitions at agencies with safety and security responsibilities. The FAA, which oversees civil aviation safety and air traffic regulation, relies on its senior leadership ranks to coordinate rulemaking, enforcement priorities, and operational decisions that can affect carriers and airports.

Rocheleau’s career path also underscores the revolving-door sensitivity that frequently surfaces in transportation regulation debates, particularly when senior officials move between federal agencies and industry advocacy groups. The report frames the NBAA role as an apparent return to his prior professional base, rather than a new organization.

The FAA has not named in the report a replacement for Rocheleau’s deputy administrator role, and no interim succession details were included in the available item. As a result, the immediate practical effect of his departure depends on what acting or career leadership steps the agency takes to maintain staffing and decision-making continuity.

For aviation stakeholders, the transition could affect internal coordination across the FAA’s regulatory and compliance functions, including the agency’s interactions with industry and stakeholders that participate in FAA processes. However, the available reporting does not specify whether any particular initiative or pending action is directly tied to Rocheleau personally.