He is an Airline Transport Pilot and former Check Airman with over 35 years of civil aviation flight experience and over 16,000 flight hours. He is also a practicing Expert Witness and Aviation Attorney. He has participated on Aviation Rulemaking Committees and development and evaluation of safety policies and procedures for Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations (COPA) member pilots. He has also been involved in developing and evaluating Safety Management System (SMS) policies and procedures with his pilot union’s Safety Committee.
His legal experience includes practice in general civil litigation, labor and employment matters, and FAA certificate action matters.
He has acted, and is currently teaching online aviation law courses, as an Embry-Riddle adjunct faculty member in the Department of Doctoral Studies and Worldwide Online. He has developed courses for initial offering as well as syllabi and exams for the online aviation law courses.
Academic Background
• Duquesne University School of Law: Juris Doctor, Pittsburgh, PA, 2006
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: Bachelor of Science - Aeronautical Science, Daytona Beach, FL, 1980
• Associate in Science – Aviation Management, Daytona Beach, Fl, 1980
• Associate in Science – Aeronautical Studies, Daytona Beach, Fl, 1979
Professional Experience
• Aviation Law, Safety, and Accident Investigation, RTI Forensics, LLC, 2012 – Present
• Pilot, Part 121 Operations, 1985 – Present
o Flight Engineer, B-727, 1/85-6/86
o First Officer, DC-9, 7/86-12/88
o First Officer, MD-80, 1/89-8/90
o Captain, MD-80, 8/90-1/92
o First Officer, B-767, 2/92-3/93
o Captain, DC-9, 4/93-4/94
o Check Airman, DC-9, 5/94-7/95
o Check Airman, MD-80, 8/95-11/97
o Senior Check Airman, MD-80, 11/97-4/02
o FAA Aircrew Program Designee, MD-80, 3/98-4/02
o Captain, B-737, 6/02-9/05
o First Officer, A-320, 4/07-3/08
o Captain, A-320, 4/08-present
• Co-Chairman, Safety Committee: Pilots Association, 2009- 2011
• Chairman, Violations Committee: Pilots Association, 2009-Present
• Accident Investigation Committee Member: Pilots Association, 2008-Present
• Safety Committee Member: Pilots Association, 2008-Present
• Air Safety Representative: Air Line Pilots Association, International, 2007-2008
Other Professional Experience
• Basic Safety School – Air Line Pilots Association, International
• Aviation Safety Management Systems (SMS) – MITRE Aviation Institute
• NTSB Accident Investigation Orientation – National Transportation Safety Board
• NTSB Aircraft Accident Investigation - National Transportation Safety Board
Professional Associations and Activities
• American Bar Association
• Pennsylvania Bar Association
• Allegheny County Bar Association
• Lawyer Pilots Bar Association
• NTSB Bar Association
• American Association for Justice
• Defense Research Institute
• International Society of Air Safety Investigators
• US Airline Pilots Association
• National Aeronautic Association
• Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
• Society of Aviation and Flight Educators
• Aviation Insurance Association
• University Aviation Association
• Admitted to practice:
o Pennsylvania
o U.S. District Court for Western District of Pennsylvania
Licenses and Professional Affiliations
• Airline Transport Pilot
• Type Ratings; Embraer: EMB-110, Douglas: DC-9/MD-80. Boeing: B-737, B-757/B-767 and Airbus: A-319/A-320/A-321
• Flight Engineer - Turbojet
• Certified Flight Instructor - Airplane Single-Engine Land, Airplane Multi-Engine Land
• Instrument Airplane
• Ground Instructor - Advanced Instrument