To Oversee Aviation Safety Research, Education Initiatives

A new global center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety will be launched at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), to be led by industry expert Robert Sumwalt III. He will begin stewarding the Center as a Distinguished Fellow in Aviation Safety and Executive Director of Embry-Riddle's Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety (ERCAA) from January 4, 2022. 

“Embry-Riddle’s Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety will serve as a business magnet for our region, by attracting industry and government partners eager to identify timely solutions,” said University President P. Barry Butler. “With our famously rigorous focus on safety, Embry-Riddle and Volusia County have become known as the perfect home for aerospace entrepreneurs and innovators. Robert Sumwalt’s deep knowledge of aerospace safety issues, and his professionalism and commitment to excellence make him an ideal leader of this much-needed new enterprise. We are pleased and proud to announce his acceptance of a leadership position at Embry-Riddle.”

The ERCAA will focus on emerging safety issues, such as those related to UAS operations, urban air mobility technologies, and human-machine interfaces, along with a broader spectrum of industry research. The university's vision for the center includes work in evaluating the impact of trends to prevent safety issues before they occur in widespread operation. Some examples include study on the safety impacts of automatic taxiing, artificial intelligence, and trajectory-based operations as they develop further. Near-future efforts will likely include safety assessments of alternative aviation fuels, or the evaluation of training outcomes from virtual reality systems and wearable AR tools. 

Alongside his responsibilities in the new center, Sumwalt will helm university-wide leadership for aerospace safety research and outreach, including oversight of existing safety initiatives. As a part of this overhaul, he is expected to create an external advisory board of recognized industry and government experts, recruit and retain talent, promote student participation in research projects, and provide career counseling for students. Future events will make the center a hub for safety research, with guest lectures and development programs to come. 

Sumwalt has been a member of the NTSB since 2006, serving as chair of the organization from 2017 to 2021. A pilot for 32 years, he logged more than 14,000 flight hours while flying for Piedmont Airlines and U.S. Airways. Following his aviation career, he worked for a Fortune 500 energy company where he led their corporate flight department. He has gained much acclaim throughout his career, being honored by receiving the ALPA Air Safety Award, the Flight Safety Foundation's Laura Taber Barbour Award, and Boeing Aviation Safety Lifetime Achievement Award. 

FMI: www.erau.edu