David R. Hinson

David Russell Hinson (March 2, 1933 – December 3, 2023) was an American aircraft pilot, head of Midway Airlines, and administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Hinson served as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as an appointee of President Bill Clinton. He oversaw the government's response to the ValuJet Flight 592 crash on May 11, 1996, in the Florida Everglades, for which he received heavy criticism. A column in the Chicago Tribune called for Hinson to be fired by President Clinton.

In 1973, Hinson moved to Hinson-Minella, Inc., a limited partnership with investments including Flightcraft, Inc., a distributorship for Beech Aircraft in the Pacific Northwest. In 1978, Hinson joined with three people to start Midway Airlines, which he served as chairman for six years (1985–91). While working as the executive vice president for Douglas Aircraft, a subsidiary of McDonnell Douglas, President Clinton appointed him to head the FAA.

Hinson served on boards at the National Air and Space Museum and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.