Robert Sumwalt, who stepped in as the 14th chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Aug. 10, 2017, and served as a Board member since August 2006, is stepping down at the end of June, the agency confirmed. Sumwalt was most recently reappointed to the position of chairman in August 2019 and his term on the Board was set to expire at the end of this year.
One of the NTSB’s longest-serving members who was appointed and reappointed by both Democrat and Republican administrations, Sumwalt brought with him a deep background and knowledge of commercial and business aviation to the position. He spent 32 years as a pilot, including for Piedmont Airlines and US Airways, and also managed a corporate aviation department of a Fortune 500 energy company. He has amassed more than 14,000 flight hours and, while at US Airways, served on its Flight Operational Quality Assurance monitoring team.
During his time as chairman, Sumwalt brought a focus on business aviation professionalism, particularly in the wake of the Gulfstream IV crash in Bedford, Massachusetts, as well as made a push to elevate Part 135 standards to incorporate elements that have been successful with commercial airlines. This included stressing the need for greater implementation of safety management systems and flight data monitoring.
Industry leaders lauded Sumwalt for his dedication to and advancement of aviation safety. “Chairman Sumwalt’s unwavering commitment and passion for safety has had a major impact on our organization, the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF),” said ACSF chair Bryan Burns. “His service has benefited us in countless ways, including being an advocate for improving safety in the Part 135 air charter industry.”
Burns praised his leadership as well as Sumwalt's efforts to find ways to educate charter efforts on safety. “His vision was to take a page out of the airline industry safety record and align it with the charter industry, which I think was one of his most meaningful initiatives.”
Likewise, National Air Transportation Association (NATA) president and CEO Timothy Obitts praised Sumwalt’s dedication to safety involving aviation businesses. “NATA applauds NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt’s years of service and commitment to aviation safety, professionalism, and industry standards,” Obitts said. “As our mission encompasses all aspects of aviation business safety, we appreciate Chairman Sumwalt’s vision for organization-wide and industry-wide approaches such as SMS and data monitoring as keys to continuous aviation safety improvement. A true champion of safety, Sumwalt has been a leader in raising the bar across all modes of transportation.”
NTSB called Sumwalt “a fierce advocate” for all modes of transportation. At numerous events, including aviation-focused forums, he would campaign against the use of cellphones, including hands-free, while driving. In the aviation community, he would remind that the drive home from the airport is part of the safety continuum for pilots.
Sumwalt leaves a Board that also has a substantial background in transportation safety, including three other members—Tom Chapman, Michael Graham, and Bruce Landsberg—who have had past experience in business and general aviation safety.
