After his time at Liberty, Jeff worked for


several other aeronautical companies, including the now-defunct Executive Airlines in Farmingdale, New York, where he managed a variety of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. “I started as the lead helicopter captain and


quickly progressed to chief pilot and then director of operations,” Jeff says. “Executive Airlines gave me the best experience of running a Part 135 company because I was always arguing regulations, like weather calls, duty times, 135 versus 91 trips, with the main prin- cipal. I was in my FAA liaison’s office so much that we became good friends.”


In 2001, Jeff started his own company,


Integrated Aviation Group, flying a Dauphin with the helicopter’s owners. He hired one of his Operation Desert Storm colleagues from his Army days and together they obtained a Part 135 IFR certificate and added an S-76 to the business. Te company was dissolved when the helicopters were eventually sold. Jeff accepted a position with R.O.P. Aviation


in Teterboro, New Jersey, in 2005 flying an S-76C+, AW139, and Gulfstream G550. Tere, as in his Army career, he had a benefactor. Tis time, that individual helped Jeff accelerate his way to a G550 type rating.


“It was an incredible show of loyalty, one


that I will never forget and plan to always reciprocate. I flew the Cessna 172, the BE76 Duchess, and then right into the 550.” In addition to his G550 rating, Jeff holds a


helicopter multi-engine with instrument cer- tificate as well as an ATP (airline transport pilot) and an AW139 type rating. While he’s amassed an outstanding resume


as a pilot and manager of pilots, Jeff’s not one to be satisfied with just building his career. Today, he’s R.O.P.’s chief pilot, but he’s also an aviation enthusiast dedicated to advancing the entire helicopter industry.


Vertical Flight Industry Struggles to Fill Vacancies


There’s an urgent need in the vertical flight community for pilots and aviation mechanics/engineers, and the industry needs to find solutions soon, before the shortage becomes an emergency.


That’s how Jeff Smith, 2022–23 chair of HAI’s Board of


Directors, characterizes the vertical flight industry today. The industry must be prepared now to address, and take part in, workforce development, he urges. For decades, the main source for filling aviation jobs was the military. “The military pipeline was always the source for pilots and mechanics, especially coming out of Vietnam,” Jeff notes. “They were already trained and had no loans [burdening them].”


In the 1980s, about two-thirds of professional pilots got their training in the military. Now, that number has been reduced. All branches of the military have undergone force reductions, so the population of pilots and maintainers leaving the military has declined. Furthermore, vets are sometimes leaving the service with less flight or mechanical experience than before. Fortunately, vertical flight careers offer a road map for each industry specialty. “If you want to fly offshore, fly fire or corporate, there are clear steps to take to get there,” Jeff adds.


Aspiring helicopter pilots first attend a flight school to get their ratings. These are generally expensive to obtain, but one way to keep training costs low is to earn your ratings in an airplane first and then transition to helicopters. “It‘ll be a lot cheaper and make you more marketable in the long run,” Jeff notes.


Most new pilots then immediately become instructors, 30 ROTOR JUNE 2022


usually at the same school, to accumulate hours, proficiency, and confidence. The next step could be to take a job as a line pilot for an air tour operation, usually flying single pilot. “This is an excellent way to gain experience and network in the industry to find that next position,” Jeff says. The goal is to accumulate at least 1,500 hours, which is generally the minimum requirement for commercial pilots’ insurability. At that point, a pilot can move up to a twin-engine turbine and a corporate position. Aviation mechanics/engineers can obtain their required training in two ways: attending an approved Part 147 or equivalent program or through apprenticeship programs that offer on-the-job training under the supervision of licensed mechanics/engineers. “They may go from washing helicopters to more advanced tasks under the review of an A&P,” Jeff says.


One obstacle for the vertical lift industry in filling maintenance positions is that many maintenance training programs focus solely on fixed-wing aircraft, meaning their newly minted graduates may not consider positions with rotorcraft operators or maintenance facilities. To fill their pilot and maintenance vacancies, the vertical lift industry must find creative solutions to compete with the enticing employee benefit packages offered by regional airlines.


Jeff has personally mentored many aviation professionals. He especially encourages women to consider aviation careers, and he supports women’s aviation organizations such as Whirly-Girls: “I’ve had a successful career, and I want to give something back.”


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