The US Senate has confirmed President Bush’s nomination of Capt. Robert Sumwalt (US Airways, Ret.) to the National Transportation Safety Board. Sumwalt was ALPA’s 2004 ALPA Safety Award honoree. Captain Sumwalt begins his work at NTSB today, August 21, 2006 after being sworn in. President Bush has also appointed Captain Sumwalt to be NTSB Vice-Chairman.

“In a very partisan town, ALPA’s bipartisan credibility allows us to advance nominations to important positions like this,” says ALPA's president, Capt. Duane Woerth. “I’m very proud of Capt. Sumwalt--I’m grateful that President Bush nominated him.”

Sumwalt flew with US Airways for 24 years and managed the aviation department at SCANA Corp. He also served on the faculty of the University of Southern California’s Aviation Safety and Security Program.

During his nearly 20 years of ALPA work, Sumwalt served as chairman of ALPA's Human Factors and Training Group and helped found the Association’s Critical Incident Response Program (CIRP) and Training Council, as well as the US Airways Altitude Awareness Program. A trained accident investigator, he also served as a member of the ALPA Accident Investigation Board.

In the course of his activities, Sumwalt represented ALPA’s views to the NTSB, the FAA, aircraft manufacturers, and the Flight Safety Foundation.

At the NTSB, Sumwalt will complete an existing term that expires at the end of 2006 and then serve a term that ends Dec. 31, 2011. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) recommended Sumwalt for the position, and President Bush nominated him in June.