An Australian flying instructor who refuses to set-up operations in Australia due to CASA regulations has won the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association award for the best flight school in the USA.
Mike Smith and his American wife Kimberley set up Mike Smith Aviation, based in Napa County, California, in 1993.
After AOPA's nation-wide 2024 Flight Experience Survey, Smith's operation was evaluated as the best flying school in the Pacific region and best flying school across the entire USA.
"We went to the national event to receive the award for best flight school in the Pacific region," Smith said, "so were delighted to also come away with best in the USA.”
Smith, who is still listed as a director of AOPA Australia, has been an out-spoken critic of what he sees as unnecessary burdens placed on flying schools in Australia, which would prevent him from setting up a similar operation here. Most notably, Smith addressed the 2018 AGAA Summit in Wagga Wagga.
“Because of the multiple restrictive regulations imposed on flight schools in Australia, for example, the need for a separate head of operations (HOO), and other roles, we simply couldn’t duplicate our successful model there," Smith said.
Smith is also proud of the female influence at his school.
“On average over the last few years, 50% of our team has been female, as has between 25% and 30% of our students," he said.
Mike Smith Aviation trains students using Cessna 162 and 172, and Beechcraft Type 76 Duchess aircraft.