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Robert L. Sumwalt is Executive Director of the Boeing Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety at ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ, where he also holds appointments as Distinguished Fellow in Aviation Safety and Associate Professor.

Previously, Sumwalt served as Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Member of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for 15 years, where he was appointed by U.S. Presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump.

Prior to that, Sumwalt was an airline pilot for 24 years with over 14,000 flight hours in Boeing 727, 737, Airbus A-320.

International Society of Air Safety Investigators - Jerome F. Lederer Award, 2024
Flight Safety Foundation – Boeing Aviation Safety Lifetime Achievement Award, 2021
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety - Highway Safety Hero, 2019
Honorary Doctorate, ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ, 2018
Joseph T. Nall Safety Award, International Air & Transportation Safety Bar Association, 2018
Honorary Doctor of Science, University of South Carolina, 2017
Cecile S. Hatfield Award for Excellence in Aviation, 2017
Bombardier Safety Standdown Award, 2016
Fellow, Royal Aeronautical Society, 2014
Foreign Associate Member, Academie de L’Air et de L’Espace, 2014
Association of Air Medical Services Public Service Award, 2010
South Carolina Aviation Hall of Fame, 2009
Professional Pilot Magazine Aviation Safety Advocate of the Year, 2009
ALPA Air Safety Award, 2004
Flight Safety Foundation’s Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award, 2003

Sumwalt, R., (2023). Foreword in S. Barczyk. The valley is burning: when communications becomes the crisis. Sarah Barczyk: Melbourne, FL.

Stolzer, A., Sumwalt, R., and Goglia, J. (2023). Safety management systems in aviation (3rd ed). CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL. 

Sumwalt, R. (2023). Foreword in Lawrenson, A., Rodrigues, C., Malmquist, S., Greaves, M., Braithwaite, G., and Cusick, S. Commercial aviation safety (7th ed). McGraw-Hill: New York.

Sumwalt, R., Lemos, K., and McKendrick, R. (2019). The Accident Investigator’s Perspective. Crew Resource Management (3rd ed). Kanki, B.G, Anca, J. and Chidester, T.R. (Eds), Academic Press (Elsevier): London.

Sumwalt, R.L. (2017). Foreword in Strauch, B. Investigating human error (2nd ed). CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL.

Sumwalt, R.L. (2016). Foreword, in Schultz, J., Fielkow, B. Leading people safety: How to win on the business battlefield. Minneapolis: North Loop Books.

Sumwalt, R.L. (2015). The role of the NTSB, in Blumen et al. (Eds.) Principles and Direction of Air Medical Transport, 2nd edition. Salt Lake City: Air Medical Physician Association.

Sumwalt, R. L., & Lemos, K. A. (2010). The accident investigators perspective, in Kanki, B., Helmreich, R., & Anca, J. (Eds.) Crew Resource Management, 2nd Edition. San Diego: Academic Press.

Sumwalt, R.L. (2002). Aircraft accident and incident investigation, in The Standard Handbook for Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineers.  New York: McGraw Hill.

Walters, J. M., & Sumwalt, R. L. (2000). Aircraft Accident Analysis: Final Reports. New York: McGraw Hill.

Schwab, A., & Sumwalt, R.L. (1990). The Terminal Checklist Book. Alexandria, VA:  Queensmith Publications.