Jeffrey Smith

Smith has a superior and diverse training background in both military and civil aviation, which made him an ideal leader of the ERHC with its diverse membership of pilots and industry leaders with both military and civil experience. Throughout his career, Jeffery Smith has continually demonstrated his dedication to the industry in his willingness to take on new challenges and broaden his expertise. He has excelled as a pilot, a training instructor, directed operations and managed heliport activities in both New York and Washington, D.C.

Jeffery Smith has served as a member in the Eastern Region Helicopter Council for over 15 years, in that time he served as Chairman for 5 years, a director for 7 and VP of Operations for 5 years. Smith was the Chairperson for the FAA Adhoc Committee for Airspace Redesign of the very complex New York traffic area, He also was a member of the New York Task Force for airspace redesign in 2009 following a midair collision between an airplane and a helicopter. Smith was monumental in navigating the entire aviation industry through precedent setting litigation surrounding access restrictions at East Hampton Airport which his team was victorious all the way to the United States Supreme Court. Smith, working with his colleague Paul Tramontana, has allowed the helicopter community access into the New York Airspace during Temporary Flight Restrictions due to the UNGA and VIP events that have covered three presidential administrations. For his work in the New York aviation industry, Jeffery Smith was awarded the coveted National Business Aviation’s Associations, Silk Scarf award. Smith was also awarded the ERHC Chairman’s Award for Excellence.

Smith has always been an active member within the Helicopter Association International. He serves on the Board of Directors as Chair and has held the positions as Vice Chair, and Treasurer managing a 14M portfolio. He was the Chairperson of the Fly Neighborly/Environmental Acoustics Committee, joining ranks with operators, OEMs, engineers, and government agencies including the FAA, DOT and NASA. He served that role twice believing that noise mitigation and community compatibility is one of the most serious issues facing the aviation industry and emerging technology. Smith has also worked closely with the Helicopter Tour Operator Working Group, Flight Operations Working Group, and Heliport and Infrastructure Working Group. Jeff also serves as the Access Committee Chair for the National Business Aviation Association.

Smith earned his Airman Certificate at Fort Rucker Army Base in Alabama. In the nearly thirty five years since his first flight, Smith has earned over 11,500 flight hours, 9,000 hours as Pilot in Command, and over 700 in Emergency Medical Service in both combat and civilian metropolitan
environments. While in active duty, Smith spent ten years serving diverse missions, including Attack, Air Cavalry, General Support and Medevac, across North and South America, Europe and the Middle East including Operation Desert Storm. He gained extraordinary experience and expertise as an Instructor Pilot, Safety Officer, and Battalion Operations Officer.

Upon exiting active duty in 1997, Smith was placed in Individual Ready Reserve as a (CW3). He then brought his flight and operational expertise to New Jersey and took a job that would begin his career in civil aviation as a sightseeing pilot with Liberty Helicopters. In the four years Smith spent with Liberty Helicopters, Smith was a Part 135 Captain in every airframe in the fleet and was promoted to several positions including Asst. Chief Pilot, Heliport Manager and Safety Officer. Chairman Smith has worked for several civil aeronautical companies, including Executive Airlines
where he served as Director of Operations for a Multi-Category, Multi-Ship, IFR Part 135 Certificate. In 2002, Smith started Integrated Aviation Group and was awarded a Part 135 IFR Certificate that he developed and had approved by the FAA from application to approval. In 2005, Smith accepted his current position flying an S-76C+ with ROP Aviation.

Jeff Smith holds a Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He is a FAA licensed Rotary-Wing Airline Transport Pilot, holding a Class 1 Medical Certificate.