WASHINGTON, Dec 12 (Reuters) - The head of the Federal

Aviation Administration who has overseen the agency's response

to significant safety issues at Boeing ( BA ) since a mid-air emergency

in January will step down on Jan. 20, the agency said Thursday.

FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker, who was confirmed to a

five-year term in October 2023, will depart when President-elect

Donald Trump takes office. The FAA also said Deputy

Administrator Katie Thomson will step down on Jan. 10, which

will mean Mark House, the agency's assistant administrator for

finance and management, will be the agency's senior acting

official during the transition.

Last week, Whitaker told Reuters he was unsure if he

would stay beyond Jan. 20 as conversations with the transition

team continued.

"As I conclude my time at the FAA, my confidence in you

to meet our safety mission has never been stronger," Whitaker

said.