Aug. 11, 2017 // NATCA Congratulates the Honorable Robert L. Sumwalt on Confirmation as NTSB Chair

NATCA congratulates the Honorable Robert L. Sumwalt following his U.S. Senate confirmation as the 14th Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Said President Paul Rinaldi and Executive Vice President Trish Gilbert:

“We congratulate Chairman Sumwalt on his confirmation. He brings a wealth of experience to the position from his extensive career in aviation. He was appointed to the NTSB in August 2006, and has served on the Board under President George W. Bush, President Barack Obama, and President Donald Trump, who designated Sumwalt Vice Chairman on March 31, 2017.

“Before joining the NTSB, Sumwalt was a pilot for 32 years and accumulated more than 14,000 flight hours. Sumwalt has chaired the Air Line Pilots Association’s (ALPA) Human Factors and Training Groups, and co-founded ALPA’s critical incident response program. He also spent eight years as a consultant to NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS).

“During his time with the NTSB, Sumwalt has led several teams of NTSB aviation investigations. He is a fierce advocate for improving safety and is committed to fostering a safety culture within aviation. His leadership on studies, recommendations, and improvements have advanced safety in aviation as well as furthered the public discussion on these issues.

“NATCA looks forward to working with him on this shared vision.”

The shared safety mission between NATCA and the NTSB is embodied through the work of NATCA’s Air Safety Investigations (ASI) Committee. Article 63 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement Between NATCA and the FAA governs air safety investigators. The committee’s primary task is providing objective, controller-based perspective to NTSB investigations of aircraft accidents or incidents that involve air traffic control service. The NATCA ASI Committee works as part of the team of investigators to prevent future occurrences.

In addition to assisting in NTSB accident investigations, air safety investigators play a vital role in the event of any incident/accident involving an air traffic control facility. NATCA air safety investigators are also placed on the FAA’s emergency call list in the event of an accident in their region. The ASI’s will forward the information they receive to the appropriate NATCA committee(s) and officials to ensure the facility is getting the best assistance possible.

For more information and to view the ASI incident checklist, visit the ASI website.

Questions? Please email the ASI committee at [email protected].