Washington Headquarters Press Release

FAA Names Federal Air Surgeon

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Marion C. Blakey, today announced that Frederick E. Tilton, M.D., M.P.H. has been selected to be the new Federal Air Surgeon. Dr. Tilton has served as Deputy Federal Air Surgeon for the past six years and replaces Jon L. Jordan, M.D., J.D. who retired last month.

As the FAA’s Federal Air Surgeon, Dr. Tilton oversees the Office of Aerospace Medicine’s workforce of more than 400 physicians, research scientists, nurses, program analysts, and legal instrument examiners, including the prestigious Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI). He also oversees more than 5,000 private physicians who administer FAA medical exams as designated medical examiners. His primary areas of responsibility include the medical certification of airmen, inspection of industry drug and alcohol testing programs, medical clearance of air traffic control specialists, drug and alcohol testing of FAA employees, aerospace medical and human factors research, and aerospace medical education.

“Fred’s high-caliber leadership experience and expertise in the aviation and medical fields make him ideally suited to be our nation’s Federal Air Surgeon,” said Blakey.

Prior to joining the FAA in 1999, Dr. Tilton was the corporate medical director for The Boeing Company in Seattle. Under his leadership, his department received the American College of Occupational Medicine’s prestigious Corporate Health Achievement Award as one of the best industrial medicine programs in the nation. From 1988 to 1991, Dr. Tilton was the regional medical director at Boeing’s Wichita, Kan. facility.

During a 26-year career with the U.S. Air Force, Dr. Tilton logged 4,000 hours as a command pilot flying trainers, transports, reconnaissance aircraft, and fighters. He flew a wide variety of aircraft, including the F-15, T-38, RB-57F, C-141 and the B-47. He spent 11 years in the medical corps where he commanded a clinic, was an F-15 physician-pilot and technical consultant, and held key positions such as Chief of Flight Medicine in the Surgeon General’s Office. He retired from the Air Force in 1988 with the rank of colonel.

A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, Dr. Tilton received both an M.S. and a M.D. degree from the University of New Mexico and an M.P.H. from the University of Texas.

He is board-certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine in both Aerospace and Occupational Medicine. He is a Fellow of Aerospace Medical Association and the American College of Preventive Medicine.