Press Release

Issued by National Air Transportation Association.

May 25, 2021

Following news of Robert Sumwalt's plans to step down as chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) effective June 30, 2021, National Air Transportation Association (NATA) president and CEO Timothy Obitts issued the following statement:

“NATA applauds NTSB chairman Robert Sumwalt's years of service and commitment to aviation safety, professionalism and industry standards. As our mission encompasses all aspects of aviation business safety, we appreciate chairman Sumwalt's vision for organisation-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.”

The Honorable Robert L. Sumwalt began his tenure at the NTSB in August 2006 when President George W. Bush appointed him to the board and designated him as vice chairman. In November 2011, President Barack Obama reappointed him to an additional five-year term as board member. Sumwalt was sworn in as the 14th chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board on August 10, 2017, after being nominated by President Donald J. Trump and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. In 2019, he was reconfirmed as chairman.