The leadership question at the Federal Aviation Office (LBA) in Braunschweig has been resolved after a vacancy of several months. Alexander Schott has been at the helm of the civil aviation authority since August 1, 2026.
The fully qualified lawyer and former senior civil servant succeeds Jörg Werner Mendel, who entered the passive phase of his phased retirement at the end of January 2026. Schott moves from the Federal Ministry of Defense to Lower Saxony, where he most recently served as Director for Research and Innovation as well as for cyber and AI concepts. He is the eighth president since the agency's founding.
The change in leadership at the LBA (German Federal Aviation Office) comes at a time of organizational challenges. In 2025, the regulatory authority came under pressure following allegations from a former executive. This individual accused the agency's aviation medical department of deficiencies in its examination procedures and a disregard for fundamental administrative principles. The Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport responded by ordering a package of measures to adapt workflows and standardize examination practices.
In his new role, Schott faces the task of managing nationwide oversight of civil aviation safety. The core responsibilities of the agency, with its approximately 1.000 employees, include aircraft registration, the licensing of flight personnel, and the certification of airlines and training institutions. In addition to handling day-to-day operations, modernizing administrative processes is considered a top priority for the agency's leadership.
Industry observers point out that the transition from a defense expert to the top of a civilian regulatory institution requires a careful balancing of the agency's responsibilities. While the integration of modern information technologies into administrative practice must be accelerated, civilian stakeholders in the aviation market primarily demand predictable and legally sound approval processes. It remains to be seen how effectively the structural adjustments within the agency will be implemented under the new leadership.