Hart sworn in as NTSB chairman

Christopher Hart was sworn in earlier this week as the 13th chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Hart had been serving as acting chairman since April 2014.

President Barack Obama nominated Hart to the post in January. Prior to becoming the NTSB's acting chair, Hart served as vice chair and a board member since 2009. He also was on the board from 1990 to 1993.

"I am very grateful for this opportunity to lead this dynamic agency that is dedicated to improving transportation safety," Hart said in a prepared statement. "I have been involved in transportation safety for more than 30 years, and the NTSB truly sets the bar higher for continued safety improvement."

Hart is an aerospace engineer, attorney and licensed pilot. After serving as an NTSB board member from 1990 to 1993, he served as deputy administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. He moved to the Federal Aviation Administration in 1995, where he served as assistant administrator for system safety and deputy director for Air Traffic Safety Oversight.

As NTSB chairman, Hart succeeds Deborah Hersman, who stepped down last year to become president and chief executive officer of the National Safety Council.