At this week’s World Aviation Training Summit (WATS) in Orlando, the FAA’s second-in-command delivered a clear message to the global training community: aviation training needs to keep pace with how the industry is changing — but safety can never take a back seat.
Chris Rocheleau, Deputy Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, opened WATS 2026 with a keynote that set the tone for the entire three-day event.
What Rocheleau Said
Rocheleau’s core argument was straightforward. New technologies — from advanced simulators to AI-driven training tools — offer real benefits. But adopting them responsibly requires evidence, not enthusiasm alone.
He called for proficiency-based outcomes, continuous monitoring, and international cooperation as the guardrails for modernizing training systems. In other words: prove it works, keep watching it, and make sure it works the same way everywhere.
Rocheleau also pointed to WATS itself as a model for how the industry should operate. He praised the summit’s ability to bring together airlines, regulators, training providers, and manufacturers in one room.
“WATS really does offer us a great opportunity to bring together multiple pieces of the industry itself to talk through how we improve aviation training,” he said.
Why It Matters
This wasn’t just a polite opening speech. It reflected where the FAA’s head is at on several live debates in aviation training.
Competency-based training is gaining momentum. The traditional hours-based approach to pilot certification is being challenged by competency-based training and assessment (CBTA) methods that focus on what a pilot can actually do, not just how long they’ve been doing it. Rocheleau’s emphasis on “proficiency-based outcomes” signals FAA support for this direction — but with caution.
Simulator technology is outpacing regulation. Modern full-flight simulators and extended reality (XR) tools can replicate scenarios that were impossible to train for a decade ago. But regulators are still working out how to credit that training. WATS featured sessions on EASA’s FSTD Capability Signature and its FAA equivalent — frameworks that could eventually allow training devices to be evaluated on what they can do, rather than what category they fall into.
The pilot pipeline depends on training quality. With 370,000 active student pilots in the U.S. and airlines hiring aggressively, the volume of people flowing through flight training has never been higher. That makes training standardization and instructor quality more important — not less. Several WATS panels echoed this point, including a high-level discussion featuring leaders from United Airlines, Envoy Air, JetBlue, LIFT Academy, and the National Flight Training Alliance.
Who Is Chris Rocheleau?
Rocheleau is one of the most experienced officials in FAA history. He spent over 20 years at the agency across multiple leadership roles, including acting Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety — the division responsible for overseeing airlines, aircraft manufacturers, maintenance organizations, and pilot certification.
He left the FAA in 2022 to serve as Chief Operating Officer at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). In January 2025, he returned to the FAA as Deputy Administrator and was immediately named Acting Administrator by President Trump following the resignation of Mike Whitaker. He served as Acting Administrator until July 2025, when he was formally named Deputy Administrator.
Before his FAA career, Rocheleau served as an officer and special agent in the U.S. Air Force, retiring from the Air Force Reserves in 2010 as a lieutenant colonel. He was also among the first leaders of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) after its creation following 9/11.
In September 2025, NATA (the National Air Transportation Association) recognized Rocheleau with its Distinguished Public Service Award for his leadership during what the organization called “a critical and tragic time for aviation.”
He holds a bachelor’s degree from Central Connecticut State University and a Master of Public Administration from City University of Seattle. He also completed executive programs at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.
The Bigger Picture at WATS
Rocheleau’s keynote wasn’t delivered in isolation. The themes he raised — evidence-based modernization, instructor quality, and regulatory collaboration — echoed across the full WATS program.
Other standout sessions from the opening day included a presentation by five easyJet captains on how structured training strategies and performance data can improve instructor standardization. Boeing’s Nick Munns outlined a competency-based approach to better prepare ab initio students for airline operations from day one. And Boeing’s Captain Graham McNally presented the Instructor Concordance Assurance Programme (ICAP), which uses shared video scenarios and benchmark grading to ensure instructors assess pilot performance consistently.
A recurring theme across the day: the gap between training output and airline readiness is a real problem, and closing it requires better data, better instructor development, and better alignment between training organizations and the airlines that hire their graduates.
What This Means for Flight Training
For flight schools, CFIs, and training organizations, Rocheleau’s message has practical implications.
The FAA is signaling that it supports modernization — but on the FAA’s terms, meaning evidence and data will drive which new methods get regulatory credit. Schools investing in advanced simulation, scenario-based training, and structured instructor development are likely positioning themselves well for where regulation is heading.
At the same time, the emphasis on international cooperation suggests the FAA is paying attention to how other regulators — particularly EASA — are approaching these same questions. Training organizations that operate across jurisdictions, or that train international students, should expect harmonization to be a growing priority.
The bottom line from Rocheleau’s keynote: the future of aviation training will look different from today. But it will only get there by proving — not assuming — that new methods are as safe or safer than what they replace.
