Department of Aviation

Dale Wilson joined the faculty in the Flight Technology Program in September 1996. Prior to this, he taught for thirteen years at the Institute of Aviation at Trinity Western University in Canada, where as a Class 1 Flight Instructor he provided academic instruction and flight training to private, commercial, multi-engine, and flight instructor pilot candidates. He also provided training in mountain flying and tail-wheel operations. He has over 3,600 flight hours, and holds Airline Transport Pilot certification in both the United States and Canada as well as FAA-certified flight and ground instructor certificates.

His formal education includes a Master's degree in Aviation Safety and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology (human performance emphasis). His passion is aviation safety. To that end he teaches courses dealing with flight crew physiology and psychology, aviation safety management, and aviation weather. Since his arrival at CWU he has published safety articles and presented papers at national and international conferences on the visual limitations of flight and the problem of VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).

While in Canada he held the Class 1 Flight Instructor Rating and since 1999 he has been awarded the "Master CFI" designation from the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) four times. He has also served as an "Aviation Safety Counselor" for the Spokane FAA office since 1999.

He won the CWU Alumni Association "Excellence in Teaching Award" for the College of Education and Professional Studies in 2001 and was nominated for the university-wide "Distinguished Professor in Teaching" award in 2004. He currently serves as Chair of the newly-named Department of Aviation within the College of Education and Professional Studies.

Mr. Wilson chose CWU because he was impressed with both the quality and quantity of the flight and academic curriculum offered and because of the opportunity to continue to engage in research and education related to flight crew safety. His interests outside of aviation include spending time with his family, worshipping at the Ellensburg Alliance Church, reading, and riding his 80cc Honda Elite Scooter around E-burg and his four-wheel Yamaha Banshee in the sand dunes of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho with family and friends.

Professor Wilson's research interests include: pilot decision making (especially how it applies to the decision to continue VFR flight into deteriorating weather); visual landing illusions; and, night flying. He has written (or co-authored in some cases) the following articles, some of which are included in the links below.

Professional Journals

• Wilson, D. R. (2005, April). VFR into IMC: Helping Students Avoid GA's Number One Killer. NAFI Mentor, 7(4), 7-11. article
• Wilson, D. R. (2004, February). Deceptive approaches: Helping students overcome landing illusions. NAFI Mentor, 6(2), 8-11.
• Wilson, D. R., & Sloan, T. A. (2003). VFR flight into IMC: Reducing the hazard. Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education and Research, 13(1), 29-42.
• Wilson, D. R. (1999, Nov/Dec). Darkness increases risks of flight. Human Factors and Aviation Medicine, 46(6), 1-8. article

Aviation Magazines/Newsletters

• Wilson, D. R. (2004, Fall). Avoiding Black Holes. Pilot Getaways, 7(3), 79 & 82. article
• Wilson, D. R. (Winter 2003/04). Don't be in a fog: Dealing with nature's veiled hazard. Pilot Getaways, 6(4), 78. article
• Wilson, D. R. (2002, Sept/Oct). VFR flight into IMC: "It won't happen to me-and if it does I can get out of it!" Aerosafe, 2-3. article
• Heiler, J., & Wilson, D. R. (2001, Spring). The dark side of night flying. Aviation Safety Letter (Issue 2/2001). article

Conference Proceedings

• Wilson, D. R., & Fallshore, M. (2001). Optimistic and ability biases in pilots' decisions and perceptions of risk regarding VFR flight in IMC. Proceedings of the 11th International Biennial Symposium on Aviation Psychology, March 5-8, 2001, Columbus, OH. article
• Sloan, T. A., & Wilson, D. R. (2000). Avoiding a midair collision (unpublished paper). Presented at the 11th Annual International Women in Aviation Conference, March 9-11, 2000, Memphis, TN.
• Wilson, D. R. (1999). Educating pilots on the hazards of visual flight at night. Proceedings of the 2nd annual Instructor Conference: Innovations in flight instruction, April 9-10, 1999 (pp. 261-270), Daytona Beach, FL.
• Wilson, D. R. (1997). Trapped by the Weather or Trapped by Ourselves? The Problem of VFR Flight into IMC (unpublished paper). Presented at the 10th Annual Get S.E.T. (Safety, Education, Training) Workshop, April 4-6, 1997, Calgary, Alberta.

Reviewer

• Reviewer for the Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education and Research, a refereed scholarly publication for educators and researchers as well as professionals in the aviation and aerospace industry.
• Reviewed two chapters on aerodynamics (Chapter 10 & 11) for Heath Science Dimensions 8, an 8th grade science text adopted by the province of Manitoba, 1992.