“My life comes down to four things: Faith, Family, Friends, and Flying. Every experience has shaped me—and I carry those lessons into everything I do.
About Derek (Triple D) Davidson
Tested in Service. Trusted in Aviation. For TWU 548.
Derek D. Davidson is a seasoned Pilot Instructor for the Airbus A320 fleet at American Airlines’ Flight Academy in Fort Worth, TX. With over a decade at American, Derek has trained thousands of captains and first officers across the world’s largest Airbus fleet. He also made history as the first African American Pilot Ground School Supervisor for this fleet.
Before joining American Airlines in 2013, Derek served as an Airbus Training Instructor at Frontier Airlines and proudly retired from a 22-year career in the United States Air Force. Known by his call sign “Triple D”, he logged over 4,000 flight hours—including 300 combat hours in Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan—as a flight engineer, instructor, and evaluator on multiple aircraft, including the C-130 and Gulfstream series. His distinguished service includes four years flying Presidential support missions for President George W. Bush and family.
Derek holds FAA certifications, including an A&P license, and is certified in Human Factors in Aviation, Aviation Operations, and Flight Safety. His commitment to excellence spans both flight operations and ground instruction.
A proud Cleburne native and global traveler, Derek has visited 85 countries but still calls Texas home. His career reflects a lifetime of leadership, service, and dedication—qualities he’s ready to bring to TWU Local 548 as President.