Dominic Santini, played by Ernest Borgnine, was the original owner and operator of Airwolf in the 1980s television series. He was a widower with a young son, Stringfellow Hawke. After Hawke's wife and child were killed in a car accident, Santini took him in and raised him as his own. Santini was a Vietnam War veteran and had served as a helicopter pilot during the conflict. He was also an accomplished mechanic and kept Airwolf in top condition.
In the first season of the show, Santini is kidnapped by enemy agents who want to use Airwolf to carry out their evil plans. Hawke rescues him and they defeat the bad guys together. In later seasons, Santini remains an important part of the team, using his skills to keep Airwolf flying and to helpHawke on missions.
Sadly, Borgnine passed away in 2012 at the age of 95. His character was not written out of the show but it was implied that he had died off camera sometime between seasons three and four. This left Hawke without his father figure and best friend but it ensured that Borgnine's amazing legacy lived on through Airwolf.