Bruce Cummings

Bruce Cummings is an active Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) based at Merrill Field in Anchorage, Alaska, where he conducts practical tests exclusively for helicopter candidates. Holding Airline Transport Pilot (ATP), Commercial, Private, Instrument, and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) credentials, his examining authority is limited strictly to the rotorcraft category, meaning he does not conduct airplane checkrides. In addition to being listed as an active examiner with flight training directories like Skyfarer Academy, Cummings has a history with the FAA as a Principal Operations Inspector (POI) at the Anchorage Flight Standards District Office (FSDO). In this capacity, he managed regulatory oversight for Alaska's Part 135 helicopter operators, including Robinson R-44 compliance for Novictor Aviation in 2020. Furthermore, Cummings has repeatedly served as the FAA's participating representative in National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident investigations across Alaska, including a May 2026 Cessna 170B case in Bethel, a January 2022 helicopter rotor impact case, and multiple investigations between 2018 and 2020.