Randy Babbitt, administrator of the powerful Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), has resigned following his arrest in Virginia on charges of drunken driving.
He will be replaced by Deputy FAA Administrator Michael Huerta who will serve as acting administrator until a replacement is named by the Obama administration.
Babbitt said in a statement that he had submitted his resignation to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and it had been accepted.
"Serving as FAA Administrator has been an absolute honor and the highlight of my professional career. But I am unwilling to let anything cast a shadow on the outstanding work done 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by my colleagues at the FAA," Babbitt said.
Babbitt won praise for his effort to focus the FAA on safety issues and for addressing tough labor issues with air traffic controllers.
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