The Wicks Group is pleased to announce that former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Deputy Executive Director Mr. John Barbagallo has joined the firm as a Senior Advisor. Mr. Barbagallo began his work with TWG on January 2, 2018.
In late 2017, Mr. Barbagallo completed a long career with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that included field, regional office, headquarters, and international assignments. Most recently, he held the position of Deputy Executive Director, Flight Standards Field Operations. In this capacity, he shared responsibility for administering and managing the full range of policy development, implementation, integration, and evaluation activities across the organization. He provided executive direction and oversight for a diverse set of program areas, including international programs, regulatory support, unmanned aircraft systems, air transportation, aircraft maintenance, civil aviation registry, and general aviation.
Mr. Barbagallo began his FAA career as an Assistant Principal Maintenance Inspector in the Pittsburgh Certificate Management Office in April 1990. He later served as the New York International Field Office Manager (1996-1998), Frankfurt International Field Office Manager (1998-2001), Assistant Manager of the International Policy Division (2001-2003) and Technical Branch Manager (2003-2010).
Beginning in 2010, Mr. Barbagallo served as Division Manager for the International Programs and Policy Division (AFS 50), where he led a staff of 27 operations and airworthiness inspectors and other personnel in conducting International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) audits of foreign civil aviation authorities and providing related technical assistance. In addition to overseeing the IASA audit program, he managed the development of policies and regulations governing foreign air operators and developed US positions regarding international safety oversight issues.
Mr. Barbagallo's accomplishments extend well beyond his work on international programs. During his FAA career, he also led a complete reorganization of the Flight Standards Service inspectorate, oversaw the development and implementation of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) test sites, and initiated Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) Maintenance Implementation Procedures (MIP) negotiations with Singapore, Brazil, and Japan.
In his new role at The Wicks Group, Mr. Barbagallo will apply his decades of technical and managerial expertise developed at the FAA to advising aviation-related businesses and foreign civil aviation authorities. For further information about Mr. Barbagallo's new position with TWG, please contact Glenn Wicks at (202) 457-7790.