William C. Withycombe is the Regional Administrator for the Western-Pacific Region. He was selected for the region’s top post in November 1995 and reported for duty on January 22, 1996. Mr. Withycombe, who began his FAA career in 1971 as an Aviation Inspector, has forty years experience in the aviation industry.
Prior to his appointment as Regional Administrator, Mr. Withycombe served as Deputy and Acting Regional Administrator of FAA’s Great Lakes Region in Des Plaines, Illinois. His FAA career includes Assistant Manager and Manager of the Great Lakes Region Flight Standards Division; and Manager of the FAA National Flight Standards Field Office at Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. He was appointed to the Senior Executive Service on September 27, 1987.
Mr. Withycombe believes "we have a dedicated workforce in Western-Pacific, a lot of quality people who are conscious of our safety mission and play key roles in effecting aviation safety. The Pacific Rim is a major force in the world of aviation and I’m proud to represent one of the government’s finest organizations, the FAA’s Western-Pacific Region."
Mr. Withycombe is a licensed commercial pilot and holds an FAA airframe and power plant repair certificate. He is a graduate of Northrop University and Northrop Institute of Technology in Los Angeles and has attended the FAA and Office of Personnel Management Executive Schools as well as the Kellogg Business School. Mr. Withycombe has received numerous honors during his service with the federal government including Vice President Gore’s Golden Hammer Award for Reinventing Government in 1995 and the FAA Administrator’s Special Achievement Recognition in 1988 for FAA Airlines Oversight Responsibilities. He received the latter award again in 1991 for Outstanding Service during "Operation Desert Storm/Shield."