Michael M. Smith has always had a passion for aviation. “When I was younger, my parents would take my sister and me to watch planes at Miami International. There was an area at the end of the runway with picnic tables for people to watch planes take off and land. In high school, I learned to work on cars and rebuilt a couple of Mustangs. I realized then that I like to fix things,” Smith said. “I did not immediately go into aviation when I finished high school. It was not until the year 2010, after the housing crash, when I entered aviation as a structural technician, building parts for Boeing aircraft,” he continued.
Smith started his career working for Triumph Aerostructures in Stuart, FL. There, he worked as a structural technician building 747 cargo doors and 777 inboard flaps. He then moved to Boeing Defense in Macon, GA where he worked on the A10 center wing replacement program building the wing. In 2012, he started working at Embraer in Melbourne, FL. “I started on the Phenom production line, testing avionics, loading software, testing pneumatics, hydraulics and rigging flight controls,” Smith said. Within three years of working at Embraer, he obtained his A&P license and then went to work for Embraer’s service center as an AOG technician. A year later, he was promoted to the lead A&P for the 145. Then, in 2018, he started his current position as an aircraft maintenance specialist for Embraer’s demonstration flight operations team. “My job is to maintain the airworthiness through our CAMP program and perform periodic light maintenance on the aircraft,” Smith stated.
Smith has had many mentors throughout his career. The first is Manny Rodriguez who was Smith’s lead working on the Phenom production line and flight line for Embraer. “He taught me how to be a mechanic and pushed for me to pursue my A&P,” Smith said. He worked with his other two mentors, Mike Forehand and Jeff Sneden at the Embraer 145 service center. “Both taught me a lot about the aviation industry and gave me insight on how to become a better leader,” Smith stated.
In 2018, Smith enrolled in Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and received his Associate Degree in Aviation Maintenance. He is expected to graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Aviation Maintenance in May. He has also attended Collins Aerospace Proline Fusion avionics training as well as Flight Safety International’s Embraer EMB-550, Honeywell’s HTF7000 series engine and 36-150 APU courses.
Smith enjoys introducing people to aviation and mentoring young AMTs. “I enjoy it when I see someone I have mentored grow and become a safe and proficient technician,” Smith said.
In the future, Smith hopes to become a manager of a 145 repair station or maintenance department in a flight capacity.
