Smith flies into the record book

 A Red Oak pilot has completed a flight for the record books. 

On Wednesday, April 13, Ernie Smith, 98, took to the skies at the Red Oak Airport to become the Guiness Book of World Records oldest licensed pilot. The current record is 97. 

Smith, who grew up in the 1920s, was fascinated by the transatlantic flight of Charles Lindberg when he was growing up. Smith took an airplane ride at a county fair and was hooked. His first solo flight was in 1940 and he obtained his pilot’s license in 1945. All told, he estimates he has logged 7,000 hours of flight time over the course of his years as a pilot. 

To qualify for the record, Smith’s flight was viewed by three witnesses, photographs of the flight were taken, as well as a video from start to finish. Following the flight, Smith talked about the accomplishment, saying it was more for friends and family than him. 

“I don’t care much about making the record books, but it’ll be something for my kids and grandkids to talk about, and I am enjoying it,” Smith said. 

Smith has been flying twice a week for the last several years, and flew for three days leading up to his world-record qualifying flight.  Smith said he’s not opposed to adding to the record in the coming years. 

“If anyone wants to arrange it, I’d do it. This was organized by several peoplefrom the airport. All I had to do to get there was get old,” Smith chuckled. 

Still, Smith said he’s quite honored for all the support he received from members of the Red Oak Airport, family, and friends. 

“It makes you feel really important, when you think about it.”

This isn’t Smith’s first historic flight. He recollected a flight he took in the 1960s where he flew his son and his son’s fiancé to their wedding ceremony. 

“It was myself, my son, my daughter-in-law and her dad. We had a four-seater plane so none of the other wives. I took them to the same church that my daughter-in-law’s parents were married in,” commented Smith. 

Now that he’s made his record-winning flight, Smith says he has no plans to quit flying. 

“I’ve got a lot of friends that I’ve taken for rides. I just enjoy flying.”

The signed witness statements, photos, and video will now be sent off to the Guiness Book of World Records offices for review, and the Red Oak Airport will announce when Smith’s flight is officially in the record books.