Editorial Contributor

Nicholas A. Sabatini became associate administrator for aviation safety, effective Oct. 15, 2001. Mr. Sabatini is responsible for the certification, production approval and continued airworthiness of aircraft; and the certification of pilots, mechanics and others in safety-related positions.

He is also responsible for certification of all operational and maintenance enterprises in domestic civil aviation, development of regulations, civil flight operations, and the certification and safety oversight of some 7,300 US commercial airlines and air operators.

Mr. Sabatini oversees a work force of more than 6,100 employees in the FAA's Washington Headquarters, nine regional offices, and more than 125 field offices throughout the world. The FAA's annual aviation safety budget is more than $940m.

At the time of his appointment, Mr. Sabatini was director of the FAA's Flight Standards Service. From 1990 until May, 2001, he was manager of the Flight Standards Division for the FAA's Eastern Region. From 1979 to 1990, he served in a variety of aviation operations and management positions in the agency's Eastern Region, as a principal operations inspector, aviation safety inspector, manager of the Flight Standards Division Operations Branch and assistant manager of the Flight Standards Division.