Captain Dave Funk
Laird Associate

Captain Dave Funk

With a typical commercial pilots career progression in the 1980's giving him a broad base of aviation operational and management experience, Captain Funk worked first as a flight instructor, then advanced on to Part 135 charter and freight flying and eventually flew Metroliners for Midstate Airlines before joining Northwest airlines in 1987. He flew a variety of airplanes at Northwest including the B727, 757, 747, and the DC9. He recently retired early as a Boeing 757 Captain with more than 14,000 flight hours in both the domestic and international environment. He has owned and flown a variety of personal airplanes including a PA11 Cub, Pitts S2a and a Boeing PT17 Stearman.

Captain Funk has managed private security companies and corporate loss prevention functions, served as a Deputy Sheriff in Nebraska in the early 1980's and is now currently a Reserve Police Officer in the Des Moines, Iowa area. He served almost ten years as the MEC Security Coordinator for the Northwest unit of the Airline Pilots Association. That experience included working with the principals of Laird and Associates on the introduction of Invisions CTX electronic explosive detection equipment, the "High Technology Checkpoint" and the CEIA walk through metal detectors. He was also involved in security policy development for airports and air carriers within the highest levels of airline management, the FAA and International Air Transport Association.

Dave has worked with the principles of Laird & Associates for more than eighteen years and has recently become an Associate, bringing his unique ability to sort out complex aviation and economic issues along with a lifetime of international and domestic aviation operations and security experience to the firm. He currently resides near Des Moines, Iowa with his wife, Sheila and two of his four children

E-mail: Dave.Funk@LairdAssoc.com