Dave Gwinn’s Weather Radar Seminars were internationally respected. He presented radar and wind shear training to thousands of pilots in the nation’s top corporate flight departments, Part 121 carriers and the military. His seminars have been used as the basis for training developed by three major carriers and two regional airlines.

On the lighter side, Dave’s Skytalk Humor presentation was just for fun. His humorous tales were gathered from being the instigator, recipient and rarely as an innocent bystander for good stories, humorous exchanges and practical jokes.

Dave was just a prince of a guy. He was loyal, unusually giving and always steadfast to his many friends. Dave tested early in life with an extremely high IQ. He used his wonderful gift of genius to teach and make people laugh. The funny things he would say and do were just over the top. No one could best him on pranks and wit. Gwinn was the ultimate prankster. They broke the mold when they made Dave. But come to think of it, it was probably by court order.

We lost a brilliant and passionate man. We will miss you dearly, Stratoprince!

Retired airline Captain David Blake Gwinn attended and graduated from Missouri Military Academy (MMA) in 1956. He served on the board of visitors for MMA and was past president of the MMA Alumni Association. David was an Army veteran of the Vietnam War and afterward served in the Army Reserves. Captain Gwinn was a distinguished aviation journalist, speaker, and instructor, holding 17 pilot ratings, including five CFI licenses. Dave was a former chief flight instructor and general manager of Wilson Flight School, a student flight training facility in Kansas City. He was also a police helicopter instructor as well an instructor in gyroplanes, gliders, and seaplanes. David enjoyed a 20-year career with TWA, where he spent 11 years assigned to the pilot training center, teaching and developing training programs for the B707, B727, B676, L1011, and the DC-80 aircraft. Captain Gwinn was also an internationally known weather radar expert. He presented radar and wind shear training to thousands of pilots in the nation's top corporate flight departments. His seminars have been used as the basis for training by three major carriers and two regional airlines. In the last 20 years his radar seminars have been conducted on four continents and in 12 countries. Dave appeared on the Wonderful World of Flying video magazine and Pilots Audio Update. He wrote over 250 articles for aviation publications including Flight Training, IFR, Navy's Approach, and a monthly column in Plane and Pilot Magazine. Captain Gwinn conducted programs for the military at Langley AFB, Ft. Rucker's Army Aviation Command Center, Ft. Bliss, Ft. Hood, in South America, Europe and five visits to Asia. The USAF and Army have secured reprint permission of his many radar articles for worldwide distribution. David made presentations two consecutive years for the Army's VIP Transportation-Fixed Wing (OSAA) Conference. He had been a featured humor speaker at major conventions, banquets and pilot association events from coast to coast, the Cayman Islands and Alaska. David scripted and narrated a video for the FAA, comparing radar and lightning sensor devices in thunderstorm avoidance. His training CD "How Radar Works" is marketed by Sporty's Pilot Shop. He wrote "Airwaves-Airways, Stories I Tell to Friends", all the hilarious events of a 30-year airline career.