Yeah, but can he play basketball? Seems to be a priority these days.
An air traffic control system isn't an airplane. It isn't an airline either. Pilots know as much about air traffic control as I know about flying a B777
Perhaps not the perfect candidate but unlike many other agencies, the FAA needs to be led by someone who speaks aviation. Even if the accent differs from yours.
I recognize an outside party in some posts, who minus entrenched ideologies and blinders that accompany might be what's needed to effectively run an organization. In the case of the FAA however, a strong technical background in at least one major facet of the field should be required.