President Joe Biden will nominate a former Obama administration official to lead the Federal Aviation Administration, which has been without a permanent leader for a year and a half.

President Joe Biden will nominate a former Obama administration official to lead the Federal Aviation Administration after his first choice withdrew March after running into opposition from Republican senators.

The White House said Thursday that Biden will nominate Michael G. Whitaker, a former deputy administrator at the FAA, and currently the chief operating officer of a Hyundai affiliate working to develop an air taxi aircraft.

Whitaker’s nomination had been expected for months, and Biden’s announcement was praised by several industry and labor groups.

The FAA, which regulates airline safety and manages the nation’s airspace, has been run by back-to-back acting administrators since March 2022.