Al Spain

Al Spain is a Lecturer in Aviation at the Department of Industrial Technology, University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK), where he also serves as Program Coordinator for the Federal Aviation Administration Safety Team (FAAST). With over six decades of leadership experience in aviation, military, airline, and corporate flight operations, he brings real-world expertise to the academic environment.

His educational background includes:

• M.B.A. in Business from John Molson School of Business, Concordia University
• B.S. in Professional Aviation from Louisiana Tech University

Dr. Spain’s research and professional interests center on aviation safety and operational leadership. His work emphasizes aviation safety management, Federal Air Carrier certification, and domestic and international airline operations management. He is also actively engaged in the development of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), contributing to innovation in modern aviation.

Although no recent publications are listed in the provided text, his expertise suggests a strong applied and operational focus in aviation systems and safety protocols.

His distinguished honors include:

• Bronze Star
• Purple Heart
• Air Medal for Valor
• Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award from the FAA

He is also an emeritus member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and serves on the National Research Committee for the National Aviation Operations Monitoring Service (NAOMS) and Wake Turbulence R&D under the National Academies of Science.

Al Spain mentors future aviation leaders through his teaching and FAA Safety Team coordination. His career bridges military service, commercial aviation leadership, and academic instruction. He is a member of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), further extending his impact into emerging aerospace technologies.

He is involved with national-level aviation safety initiatives and continues to contribute to policy and research development through his committee memberships.