Former Whiteside County Airport attorney honored with Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award

ROCK FALLS – Dave Murray, who was the Whiteside County Airport Board’s attorney for more than half a century, was presented a prestigious pilot award at the board’s meeting Thursday evening.

The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award – named in honor of Orville and Wilbur Wright, who were credited with inventing the world’s first airplane – was created by the Federal Aviation Administration in 2003 to recognize pilots who have continuously practiced safe flight operations for upward of 50 years. To date, the FAA has issued this award to about 8,400 recipients, according to its website.

Nominations for the award are submitted by an application form that must be accompanied by three letters of recommendation from other FAA-certified pilots and photocopies of either a U.S. Civil Aviation Authority or Federal Aviation Administration pilot’s certificate.

In his acceptance speech, Murray thanked the board and all those who were involved in the lengthy application process. He specifically thanked Airport manager Darin Heffelfinger, who sent the petition to the FAA.

Murray got his pilot’s license when he was 35 and has logged about 1,800 flight hours since then, he said at the meeting.

“Nearly every hour I flew was out of Whiteside.”

Murray’s hours are “somewhat insignificant compared to others who have been given this award,” but he said he’s never had an accident and never violated any air traffic regulations.

“I’ve always wanted to fly,” Murray said. “Every pilot knows that special thrill when your engine and your wings are going and they conquer gravity.”

He started practicing law in 1961, representing the airport alongside Henry Ward, who was the airport’s initial attorney. At that time Murray had three young kids and his dreams of becoming a pilot were something he could not afford, he said.

One day – somewhat impulsively – Murray and a friend of his decided to buy an airplane together. He recalled coming home that day to tell his wife and she “knew it was only a matter of time,” he said.

His first plane was a four-seater Piper Tri-Pacer.

“There’s not many of them around anymore,” Murray said. “It had what they call a coffee grinder radio.”

Tri-Pacers were put on the market in the 1950s and got the nickname from the handle that was cranked to turn it on – which resembled a coffee bean grinder, according to the Piper Flyer Association’s website.

Murray obtained his private pilot’s license and his instrument license at Whiteside County Airport. He’s also been a continuous hangar tenant at the airport and was a three-time member of the Twin Cities Air Activities Club.

Until his retirement from the airport attorney position in 2017, Murray advised the board through many changes in rules, regulations and leases. He was inducted into its hall of fame in 2021.