Not only is this a good sign, but it also means that Baltia's case is finally being pulled out of the FAA's hands and will be presented to a neutral party. One of the sole purposes of the hearing officer/ALJ is to be neutral; he/she does not report to, or take orders from, the FAA.

Also, one statement in the PR that many seemed to have glossed over was Thal stating: "Baltia's staff and FAA counsel remain positive about obtaining a favorable outcome in regards to the Air Carrier Certification."

Obviously it's his job to keep people calm, but adding "and FAA counsel" really stands out to me.