The Federal Aviation Administration Executive System (FAES) covers the top echelon of senior management in the FAA. The FAES was created in 1996 when the FAA became an excepted service agency. FAES members were formerly part of OPM's Senior Executive Service (SES). The FAES is comprised of three groups:

Officers: Assistant and Associate Administrators (direct reports to the FAA Administrator) who provide corporate strategic vision and leadership. Officers develop and foster alliances with industry and governments at all levels (including international) and ensure integration of priorities, programs, and resources to meet FAA's mission and strategic goals.

Executives: Comprise the first level of corporate leadership and are the link between the Administrator's Officers and the operational program staff. Executives lead the major mission and staff organizations or programs of the FAA. Executives are responsible for establishing the agency's business plans, setting measurable outcomes, and adjusting resources within their organizations as necessary to meet strategic goals and objectives within targeted time frames.

Senior professionals: Provide world-class expertise and research and development in unique scientific and technical subject matter areas. They sometimes supervise small groups of subordinate technical employees but they do not have the scope of leadership responsibilities attendant to executive positions.