Episode 50: Retired Alaska Airlines Captain David "D.R." Smith

Talking Flight

Captain David “D.R.” Smith is the second guest on our podcast named David Smith. There were two pilots named David Smith at Alaska Airlines, so we called this particular David Smith “D.R.” to minimize the confusion of which David Smith that we were referring to.

David “D.R.,” tells us about growing up in a small town in West Texas and that some of his earliest memories were about his dream of becoming a pilot. The dream was solidified when a small plane landed on the family farm, and the pilot asked for enough gas to continue to his destination.

After college, David entered the USAF and attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Randolph AFB, Texas. He flew the KC-135Q, which was the only aircraft type equipped to refuel the SR-71.

David eventually became a pilot for Alaska Airlines, where he had a distinguished career as a pilot. He played a pivotal role in helping the Airline develop one of the best safety cultures in the Airline Industry.