Dave has over 34 years of aviation experience where he has been involved in all aspects of accident investigation and prevention, safety management, and aviation emergency planning.  After his retirement from the FAA in 1999, he served as Director of Safety with Willis Global Aviation, an international insurance broker until May 2004.  In this capacity, he worked with Willis clients on an extensive range of safety issues including safety management, airline, and airport emergency response plans, accident investigation and prevention issues.  He served 14 years in senior management positions with the Federal Aviation Administration following 13 years with the National Transportation Safety Board where he managed all aspects of accident investigation, safety studies, public hearings and accident prevention activities.  As the FAA Director of Accident Investigation, he was chief advisor to the FAA Administration and Associate Administrators pertaining to all areas of national and international accident investigations and the resolution of accident-related safety issues.  He was involved with all technical programs in the FAA and has extensive experience with foreign aviation safety authorities, international industry groups, and with international accident investigation and prevention issues.  He has held positions as Special Assistant to the Acting FAA Deputy Administrator and as technical advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to Russia on the Korean Airlines Boeing 747 shoot down.

 

Dave was with the National Transportation Safety Board from 1973 until he joined the FAA in 1985.  He served initially as an air safety investigator on major air carrier accidents investigations with a specialty in operations and airport issues.  He subsequently served as investigator in charge of major accident investigations and as senior hearing officer.  He participated in numerous domestic and international investigations, International Civil Aviation Organization work groups, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Shuttle Mishap Interagency Investigation Board.

 

Since retiring from the FAA in May, 1999, Dave’s clients have included AIRBUS, Air New Zealand, Air France, Lufthansa, EgyptAir, several U.S. and Canadian airlines and corporate flight departments.

 

He has been a member of the International Advisory Committee of the Flight Safety Foundation, the International Society of Air Safety Investigators and the Advisory Council to the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Center for Aerospace Safety Education.

 

Dave entered the United States Army in June 1965 and was designated an Army Aviator in August 1967.  He served more than 5 years on active duty and remained in the U.S. Army Reserve in various aviation and command positions until his retirement in 1996 as a Colonel.  He holds a commercial pilot certificate with multiengine and instrument ratings.