Former NTSB Chairman Selected For Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy

The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) has selected Robert Sumwalt, former Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and world-renowned aviation safety champion, as the 2026 recipient of the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy.

The Wright Trophy is awarded annually to a living American for significant public service of enduring value to aviation in the United States. Sumwalt is being honored for his more than four decades of exemplary service as an airline pilot, safety researcher, instructor, and federal leader, “during which his relentless advocacy permanently transformed and elevated global transportation safety standards,” NAA officials said.

“The Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy celebrates those whose lifetime of devotion has left an indelible mark on the aviation industry,” said Jim Albaugh, NAA Board Chair. “Robert’s unparalleled commitment to developing proactive safety cultures, mentoring the next generation of aerospace professionals, and leading the NTSB with transparency and unwavering integrity embodies the very spirit of Wilbur and Orville Wright.”

Sumwalt’s career spans 24 years as a commercial airline pilot, logging over 14,000 flight hours, followed by pioneering human factors research with NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System. Appointed to the NTSB in 2006, he served as its 14th Chairman under multiple presidential administrations until his retirement from federal service in 2021. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the Boeing Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

“To be counted among the pioneers and leaders who have received the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy is the honor of a lifetime,” said Sumwalt. “This recognition is a testament not to any single individual, but to the collective, enduring effort to make flight safer, more efficient, and more accessible. I am deeply humbled to accept an award that carries the name and spirit of aviation’s ultimate trailblazers.”

The Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy will be presented to Sumwalt at the Aero Club of Washington’s Annual Wright Memorial Dinner on Dec. 17, 2026, in Washington, D.C.

For more information: NAA.aero