T. Allan McArtor

Trusten Allan McArtor
Born	(1942-07-03) July 3, 1942 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Aviation executive, former government official
Years active	1964–present
Known for	Administrator of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (1987–1989)

Trusten Allan McArtor (born July 3, 1942) held the position of Administrator for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration between 1987 and 1989.

A native of St. Louis, Missouri, McArtor currently serves as Chairman of Airbus North America Holdings, Inc., where he directs Airbus activities throughout the United States and Canada. His responsibilities encompass government relations, marketing, sales support, technical and product assistance, as well as training. The company’s North American offices are located in Herndon, Virginia, and Wichita, Kansas. He assumed the Chairmanship in June 2001.

Prior to his tenure at Airbus, McArtor established and led Legend Airlines, a scheduled passenger airline headquartered at Dallas Love Field, Texas. His career also includes high-level leadership roles spanning military service, civil aviation, and government sectors.

Between 1979 and 1994, with the exception of his FAA administration period (1987–1989) under President Ronald Reagan, McArtor was part of FedEx Corporation’s senior management team. During his FAA leadership, he played a key role in rebuilding public trust in American aviation and expedited advancements in air traffic control (ATC) technology. He successfully advocated for increased FAA budgets to support vital initiatives such as Extended Twin Operations and the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS). Additionally, he introduced regulatory standards for “Aging Aircraft” and enforced Stage III noise compliance.

At Federal Express, McArtor was responsible for overseeing maintenance, operational functions, training programs, scheduling, and strategic planning for the company’s worldwide airline operations. He managed the acquisition and integration of the Flying Tigers cargo airline into FedEx and spearheaded the development of a long-term fleet strategy that included introducing the Airbus A300-600R freighter aircraft. His roles also extended to serving as Senior Vice President of Telecommunications.

McArtor earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1964, where he was appointed Cadet Wing Commander. He further obtained a Master of Science in Engineering from Arizona State University. A decorated Vietnam War fighter pilot, McArtor has experience as an Associate Professor of Engineering Mechanics at the Air Force Academy and flew with the U.S. Air Force “Thunderbirds.” He holds a Commercial Pilot’s license with both instrument and multi-engine qualifications and is affiliated with Tau Beta Pi.

His board memberships include positions with EADS North America, The European Institute, Washington Area Airports Authority, Aviation Safety Alliance, GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems, Committee for Economic Development, and Platinum Research Organization. Additionally, he participates on the International Policy Committee and Homeland Security Committee within the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Formerly, he served on boards such as Excel Communications, Teleglobe of Canada, Learjet, Fairchild Space and Defense Company (a subsidiary of MATRA), and Angel Technologies. McArtor is actively involved in various civic and industry groups including the Falcon Foundation Executive Committee, Sabre Society, Air Force Memorial Foundation Board of Trustees, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Professional Advisory Board.

Allan McArtor and his wife Grace are parents to two sons and grandparents to five grandchildren.

External links

• AmBiz Bio - T. Allan McArtor