FPP172 - Rogers E. Smith: The Test Pilot Who Flew Everything

Fighter Pilot Podcast

E. Vincent "Jell-O" Aiello, Retired U.S. Navy Fighter Pilot

History, Personal Journals, Technology, Society & Culture, Government, Leisure, Aviation

4.9 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 24 July 2023

⏱️ 112 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Rogers E. Smith is a Canadian-American pilot who served in the RCAF, U.S. Marines, and U.S. Air National Guard and spent a long career testing nearly every American fighter (and several Russian ones), despite never attending a formal test pilot school! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Transcript

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0:00.0	We had an emergency at Ashcott, refueling over the lake.
0:03.4	Pressure in the nozzle got out of balance and it cracked a small line that went to the nozzle.
0:08.2	Tanker guy kept saying,
0:09.4	caught a something coming out of the left nozzle, it was fuel.
0:12.2	If we'd let the afterburner, I'm sure bad things would have happened.
0:30.0	When you think of giants in Air Force Aviation, you might recall names like Chuck Yeager, Bob Hoover,
0:41.0	maybe even Robin Olds or John Boyd, but do you know the name Rodgers East Smith?
0:46.0	Well, you should because he is a former Royal Canadian Air Force pilot who then spent many
0:50.8	years in the Air National Guard retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel.
0:54.7	He then flew for NASA for a number of years, flying the X-29, X-31, F-15, SR-71.
1:00.8	And most importantly, today, he is my guest here on the Fighter Pilot Podcast.
1:05.0	Rod, welcome to the show.
1:06.5	Yeah, Rodgers finding it's a pleasure to be here.
1:09.0	But it is Rodgers with an S.
1:10.4	It is, it's my grandmother's surname, so I have two last names.
1:14.7	Rodgers Smith, that's why the E helps.
1:17.3	My guard buddies would say, what is your real name?
1:20.5	Is it Rodgers Smith or Rodger Smith?
1:25.2	It's Rodgers.
1:26.2	But Rodgers fine.
1:27.2	Well, what about Chuck Yeager and Robin Olds and Bob Hoover and all these guys?
1:30.9	Are you okay with me throwing your name in with that group?
	...

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