Sumwalt was also a pilot for 32 years, including 24 years with Piedmont Airlines and U.S. Airways, accumulating more than 14,000 flight hours and earning type ratings in five aircraft. In 2014, Sumwalt earned a Master of Aeronautical Science degree, with Distinction, from Embry-Riddle Worldwide, with concentrations in aviation/aerospace safety systems and human factors aviation systems. Along with his Embry-Riddle degree, Sumwalt earned a B.S. degree from the University of South Carolina, and he was awarded honorary doctorate degrees from both institutions.

In addition to overseeing all operations of the new center, Sumwalt will provide university-wide leadership for aerospace safety research and outreach activities, including the oversight of existing safety initiatives. Among his many responsibilities, Sumwalt will create an external advisory board of recognized industry and government experts; recruit and retain talent; promote student participation in research projects; provide career counseling for students; work with Embry-Riddle academic leadership to guide and mentor center-affiliated faculty; and coordinate guest lectures, events and professional development programs. 

Sumwalt's many honors include the Flight Safety Foundation - Boeing Aviation Safety Lifetime Achievement Award; the Flight Safety Foundation's Laura Taber Barbour Award; and the Air Line Pilots Association's (ALPA) Air Safety Award. Sumwalt chaired the ALPA's Human Factors and Training Group and co-founded the association's critical incident response program. Sumwalt also spent eight years as a consultant to NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System and he has written extensively on aerospace safety matters. He is a freelance transportation safety analyst for CBS News.