Plane Crazy Saturday, fun at Mojave Air & Space Port at Rutan Field

Cathy Hansen.

Alpha Jet.

A beautifully calm, warm day greeted guests as lots of pilots decided to fly in and display their aircraft for Plane Crazy Saturday, the monthly event sponsored by the Mojave Transportation Museum, Foundation.

Each month, on the third Saturday, MTM invites pilots to bring their historic aircraft to Mojave Air & Space Port at Rutan Field for display. When the weather is nice, they show up in force! A wide-variety of aircraft was on display, from a Piper J-3 Cub to Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet. The Alpha Jet is a light attack jet and advanced jet trainer co-manufactured by Dassault Aviation of France and Dornier Flugzeugwerke of Germany.

At 11 a.m. there was a presentation in the packed MASP board room and Doctor David G. Smith gave an informative and interesting talk about his life in aviation.

On July 15, Smith became the Chief Executive Officer of the Mojave Air and Space Port, a world-renowned flight research center spanning more than 3,300 acres, hosting the latest and most advanced aeronautical designs.

Smith entered the Air Force in 1982, commissioned through Officers Training School. He received his flight training at Mather Air Force Base in California. Selected for B-52's, he moved to Castle Air Force Base, California, attending the first Navigator Offensive Avionics Systems class graduating with top honors.

He was, by name, selected to support the experimental B-52 mission at Edwards Air Force Base, and then became the Deputy Director of the 412th Test Management Group with oversight over all of Edward's flight test and evaluation efforts. He retired from active duty as the Edwards Inspector General.

Previously, he was the Director of the Production and Flight Test Facility, Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California.

Smith is a master navigator with over 3,000 flying hours and a private pilot. He also serves as a Brigadier General in the Cal Guard.

He told how his father served the U.S. Army in World War II and was at the Battle of the Bulge. His father was drafted into the military and made it his career. He met his wife when he was confined to the hospital with diphtheria. The Army nurse caring for him was quarantined in his room, because she had been exposed to the highly contagious disease.

Smith explained that while caring for his father, they fell in love and were married after he was released from the hospital.

Smith was born in Japan and was raised in Hawaii from the time he was 2 years old. When he was very young, he remembers his father always reading National Geographic magazine. He was mesmerized with articles about a place in the California desert where test pilots were flying higher and faster than anyone ever had in a rocket plane called the X-15.

He saw a brochure for the U.S. Air Force after graduating college that said, "Aim High!" The articles in National Geographic and that brochure helped him to make the decision to join the U.S. Air Force.

He asked his father for advice on how to succeed in the military and he told him to always surround himself with good people. He has always remembered his father's advice.

According to the bio listed on the Mojave Air & Space Port website, Doctor Smith entered the Air Force in 1982, commissioned through Officers Training School. He received his flight training at Mather Air Force Base, California. Selected for B-52's, he moved to Castle Air Force Base, California, attending the first Navigator Offensive Avionics Systems class graduating with top honors.

Alexander Teteriatnikov.

Cathy Hansen presents a hat to Doctor Smith.

His first formal tour was at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota as a Navigator and Instructor Navigator. Closure of B-52 operations there prompted a move to Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, as a Navigator, Instructor Navigator, Radar Navigator, Instructor Radar Navigator, Flying Safety Officer, and Assistant Flight Commander. Here he was the lead navigator for the Wing's record setting performance in SAC's 1986 Bombing and Navigation Competition, winning 9 of 11 awards ... including the coveted Fairchild Trophy; an achievement recognized by President Reagan.

The MASP website bio for Smith states, "Transitioning to Civilian Service he became the Edwards AFB Government Flight Representative overseeing all contractor flight and ground operations at Edwards until his appointment to the position of Senior Installation Support Director for Edwards AFB. Here he championed essential infrastructure and support capabilities directly influencing the flight test mission, until selected as the Director of Plant 42."

As President of the Mojave Transportation Museum Foundation, I was able to present Smith with a Plane Crazy Saturday hat and told him, "It's obvious you really are Plane Crazy!"