The National Transportation Safety Bureau named new leaders to the agency’s Office of Highway Safety and the Office of Research and Engineering.
Dave Helson will take on the position of Director of the Office of Highway Safety. That office investigates crashes on U.S. roadways that have significant implications nationwide, as well as those that highlight national safety issues or generate high levels of interest because of emerging technologies.
Helson joined the NTSB in 2008 as an operational factors investigator in the Office of Aviation Safety and has held several leadership roles in that office, mostly recently as the deputy director of the Office of Aviation Safety. Before joining NTSB, he held leadership roles in the commercial aviation industry, and flew as a line captain and first officer in airline and charter operations. Helson has a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical technology from Arizona State University.
Akbar Sultan will take on the role of Director of the Office of Research and Engineering. That office provides scientific and technical expertise for NTSB accident investigations for all modes of transportation. The office is responsible for downloading and analyzing flight recorders and other electronic devices, metallurgy, fire research and creating computer animations and simulations of crash sequences.
Prior to the NTSB, Sultan served for 26 years with NASA where he focused on aviation safety and the development of advanced air traffic control technologies. Most recently he served as director of NASA’s Airspace Operations and Safety Program. Sultan also worked on cross-functional teams across four research centers, leading work in aviation safety, predictive safety analytics, autonomy, airspace operations and the integration of emerging technologies. Sultan is an associate fellow for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and a fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, with bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering and aeronautical science from University of California, a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from San Jose State University.
“The NTSB’s strength is its people, and Dave Helson and Akbar Sultan exemplify the dedication and expertise that drive our safety mission forward,” NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said. “Their experience in investigations, transportation safety, and emerging technologies will further the NTSB’s work to improve safety and prevent future accidents.”