Current position: Director, Raspet Flight Research Laboratory, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS

Dave Lawrence learned to fly at age 18 prior to joining the USAF, in which he served from 1965-1970. He received a BS in Aeronautical Engineering from St. Louis University in 1965 and a MS in Civil Engineering from Mississippi State University in 1976. In 1977, while pursuing additional graduate studies in Aerospace Engineering, he began his flight test career. He worked as a research pilot at Mississippi State's Raspet Flight Research Laboratory and flew under the tutelage of Gifford Bull, who was the Chief Test Pilot. He joined the Piper Aircraft Corporation in Lakeland, FL, where he served as the Chief Test Pilot during the PA-42 "Cheyenne III" and several other Development and Certification flight testing efforts. In 1981, he became the Chief Test Pilot for the Piper Advanced Engineering Group and did the Development flight testing for the Chilean T-35 "Pillan" training aircraft. This effort included complete Spin and Flutter testing programs.

Lawrence then served as the Chief Test Pilot for the PA-48 "Enforcer" Close Air Support aircraft, which was done under USAF contract. This was a comprehensive flight test program and included Flying Qualities, Performance, Weapons Clearance, and Ballistic Table Development efforts. In June of 1983, he flew the "First Flight" of this highly modified turbine powered aircraft, and later the Ops Demo, which was conducted at Edwards AFB, CA. He then worked as a special consultant to the Chilean Air Force during the further Development and Spin testing of the T-35, which took place in Santiago, Chile. In 1987, he began work on the QF-106 Full Scale Aerial Target (FSAT) Development program at Tracor Flight Systems, Inc., in Mojave, CA. He was the QF-106 program manager and test pilot during the DT & E and IOT & E efforts which were conducted at Mojave, CA, Tyndall AFB, FL, and Holloman AFB, NM. In 1992, he was named President of Tracor Flight Systems, Inc., and retired from this position in June 1998 when the company was sold to GEC Marconi. He became the Director of the Raspet Flight Research Laboratory in September 2001 where he continues to fly as a test pilot on University research programs.