Dana Smith Honored for 50 Years of Safe Flying

From: "Fred Aydelotte" <soar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: hhsc1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:43:20 -0500 (EST)

The Towanda Daily Review has an article honoring Dana. Great job Dana!

It's on line at:

http://tinyurl.com/yl2honz

or:

http://thedailyreview.com/news/sayre-pilot-honored-for-50-years-of-safe-flight-1.506371?localLinksEnabled=false
======================================

TOWANDA - On April 1, 1945, 80-year-old Dana Smith, who now lives in
Sayre, took his first solo flight.

Sixty-four years later, he's still flying.

Smith was recently awarded the Federal Aviation Administration's
"Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award" for 50 consecutive years of safe
aircraft flight operations.

After getting his private pilot's license in 1946, he flew planes
belonging to his father, brother and friends around the family farm in
Ulster.

Smith was grounded for a while when he entered the Navy in 1950. He
served in the Navy for four years as an aircraft mechanic, he said,
and did occasionally fly as a private pilot during that time.

After the Navy, he began flying continuously, he said. In 1967, he
became an aircraft instructor and started teaching others to fly. Over
the years, he's been a part of the education of more than 50 pilots,
he said. One of those who benefitted from his instruction was Neil
Wilson, who currently is an instructor at the Bradford County Airport.

"I'm turning it over to the younger generation," Smith said.

Smith still teaches flying to this day, working as a volunteer glider
instructor at Harris Hill in Elmira, N.Y., he said. He also flies the
tow planes that bring the gliders aloft.

He has worked as an aircraft mechanic, he said, and was a
corporate/charter pilot in the Endicott/Binghamton, N.Y., area until
his retirement in 1994. He also ran the Blue Swan Airport in Athens
Township for seven years, from 1966-1973.

This isn't the first time he's been acknowledged by the aviation
community - he received the FAA's "Master Mechanic" award in 2000, he
said, for 50 years as an aircraft mechanic.

Learning to fly is a challenging, long process, he said, with many
hours of instruction and solo flight required to get a license. Pilots
also must train for and receive ratings to be able to fly different
types of aircraft, carry passengers, or fly in different conditions.

"I've had a great life," Smith said, and he plans on continuing to fly
for as long as he's healthy.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
To send a message to all HHSC subscribers, simply address an e-mail to
"hhsc1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx". This list is not totally private, as web-searchable
archives remain on-line indefinitely. For e-mail address changes or deletion
from this e-mail list, contact "webmaster[at_sign]harrishillsoaring.org".
Also, see the HHSC calendar at http://www.calsnet.net/hhsc
- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dana Smith Honored for 50 Years of Safe Flying

Other related posts: