THE RIGHT STUFF

CHARLES J SMITH, KNOWN AS CHUCK SMITH WAS BORN IN BELLEFONTAINE,OHIO FEB 7 ,1952.HE IS BEST KNOWN FOR BEING ONE OF THE FIRST DISABLED PILOTS LICENSED BY THE FAA (1989).HE RECEIVED HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTION BY WILLIAM KENT MILLER, URBANA, OHIO.CHUCK BOUGHT AND HAS CONTINUED TO USE THE ORIGINAL BILL BLACKWOOD HAND CONTROLS FOR PIPER AIRCRAFT.THE "BLACKWOOD CONTROLS" ARE THE FIRST ADAPTIVE FLIGHT EQUIPMENT FOR THE DISABLED TO BE STC'ED BY THE FAA.CHUCK SMITH WENT ON TO PURCHASE TWO AIRCRAFT WHEREIN HE AND HIS WIFE,REGINA ,A LICENSED PRIVATE PILOT, ENJOYED MANY HOURS OF FLIGHT WHILE CHUCK SMITH WORKED ON HIS INSTRUMENT AND COMMERCIAL FLIGHT CERTIFICATES.

CHUCK SMITH COMES FROM ALONG LINE OF AVIATORS.ENCOMPASSING THREE GENERATIONS OF FLYERS.CHUCK SMITH IS A PARAPLEGIC AVIATOR.CHUCK SMITH IS REPUDIATED AS HAVING "THE RIGHT STUFF" AS WHEN HE WAS LICENSED THERE WERE LESS THAN 200 HANDICAPPED AVIATORS LICENSED WORLD-WIDE.AT THAT TIME, HE BELONGED TO THE "CALIFORNIA WHEELCHAIR AVIATORS" , THE FIRST ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD TO FORMALLY RECOGNIZE HANDICAPPED FLYERS.OTHER NOTED WHEELCHAIR AVIATORS OF THAT TIME INCLUDED, BILL BLACKWOOD AND LEROY STURGIS ,WHO WERE THE ORIGINAL INVENTORS OF HAND OPERATED CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR AIRCRAFT FLIGHT.CHUCK SMITH IS INCLUDED IN THE 1983 EDITION OF"WHO'S WHO AMONG RISING YOUNG AMERICANS."

CHUCK SMITH FLEW AS A MEMBER OF THE WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB AERO CLUB UNTIL 1995.HE SERVED AS AN OFFICIAL OBSERVER ON THE "ARIA" AIRCRAFT, PER THE RECOMMENDATION OF COL. JIMMIE DOOLITTLE III,4950TH TEST WING, WPAFB,OHIO AND LATER BECAME GENERAL AND COMMANDER OF "THE UNITED STATES FLIGHT TEST CENTER", EDWARDS AFB,CALIFORNIA.

CHUCK SMITH RETIRED FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 14 JANUARY 2006.HIS FAMILY NOW RESIDES NEAR SAN ANTONIO,TX.