Top FAA official complains that Flight Operations is “white-male dominated” and tells managers they need to “talk about what the future could look like.”
A shocking Zoom call recording shows Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials discussing how to reduce the number of white males in the aviation industry while fast tracking unqualified people into key roles like pilots and air traffic controllers.
The DailyWire’s Matt Walsh obtained a Zoom call from 2022 between senior officials at the FAA’s Flight Program Operations division talking about implementing Diversity Equity and Inclusion measures in the aviation industry.
“The footage begins with FAA acting deputy chief operating officer Angela McCullough saying more workers need to go from ‘ramp to cockpit,’ meaning she wants to see more baggage handlers become airline pilots,” Walsh noted on X.
2/ The footage begins with FAA acting deputy chief operating officer Angela McCullough saying more workers need to go from “ramp to cockpit,” meaning she wants to see more baggage handlers become airline pilots. pic.twitter.com/2KAeHNcJA2
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 7, 2024
McCullough then complains that Flight Operations is “white-male dominated” and tells the managers they need to “talk about what the future could look like.”
3/ As the meeting goes on, McCullough declares that it’s important to “get a little uncomfortable.” She complains that Flight Operations is “white-male dominated” and tells the managers they need to “talk about what the future could look like.” pic.twitter.com/cZCSAluWyN
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 7, 2024
FAA’s Vice President of Flight Program Operations David Riggins responds, “That’s great, honestly. Those are some words that we really need to spend some time digging through and thinking about.”
4/ In response, David ‘Wil’ Riggins, the FAA’s Vice President of Flight Program Operations, says, “That’s great, honestly. Those are some words that we really need to spend some time digging through and thinking about.” pic.twitter.com/pDftSZZQc5
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 7, 2024
Walsh added that in addition to receiving the video call footage, he also has been hearing from insiders and whistleblowers in the aviation industry warning that DEI is taking precedence over the industry’s once-stellar culture of safety.
For example, Walsh claimed a Delta pilot told him that the airline promoted a “trans-identifying pilot who repeatedly received bad reviews from captains.”
“According to the source, this pilot ‘would likely not have’ survived probation if he weren’t trans,” Walsh noted, adding the airline catering to “trans” employees has become standard practice.
6/ A second source — a pilot I’ve confirmed works at Delta — tells me that Delta has recently promoted a trans-identifying pilot who repeatedly received bad reviews from captains. According to the source, this pilot “would likely not have” survived probation if he weren’t trans. pic.twitter.com/VnnTVXbTeO
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 7, 2024
7/ The source also notes that Delta routinely makes exceptions for trans-identifying pilots concerning grooming and behavioral standards. Internally, Delta has even published a lengthy guide for pilots who believe they were born in the wrong body. pic.twitter.com/8aQszhqVJw
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 7, 2024
But the DEI insanity extends far beyond the pilots.
According to Walsh, an “industry-wide embrace of overt mental illness afflicts every aspect of aviation.”
8/ This industry-wide embrace of overt mental illness afflicts every aspect of aviation. Another source told me that his job is to design advanced military systems, but he’s constantly side-tracked by DEI proposals like “gender inclusive seatbelts.” pic.twitter.com/jtEqR8Q5JG
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 7, 2024
And “billions of dollars in critical grant funding” is going to DEI programs and initiatives rather than other important aspects of the industry.
10/ The FAA’s Master Order Agreement for eFAST states that certain FAA contracts for dollar amounts between $10,000 and $150,000 are “automatically reserved exclusively” for “Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Businesses”: pic.twitter.com/Q2ExHrHYjg
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 7, 2024
11/ It’s only a matter of time until this combination of incompetence and anti-white discrimination leads to a major air disaster. The aviation industry needs a completely new mandate — one that’s focused solely on safety — before a lot of people die.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 7, 2024
This comes after the FAA announced a diversity push that would include focusing on hiring people with “severe intellectual” and “psychiatric” disabilities.