About Author

Dr. Samuel Don Smith is the pen name for Dr. Don Smith, a career pilot, engineer, and safety expert. His aviation journey began in 1963. He served as a Pilot and Aircraft Commander for the Texas Air National Guard. He also worked as a Test Pilot at Tyndall Air Force Base. His commercial career at Delta Air Lines spanned nearly three decades, from 1977 to 2005. There, he served as a Captain and Line Check Airman on flagship aircraft, including the Boeing 737, 757, 767, 777, and the MD-11.

Beyond the cockpit, Dr. Smith holds a Ph.D. in Finance and Systems from the University of Houston. He earned a Master of Science in Systems Science and Engineering. His Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering comes from Texas A&M University. This unique academic blend bridges engineering, mathematics, and financial economics. His systems modeling work has been applied to both aerospace and financial forecasting.

Dr. Smith is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. He has shaped global aviation safety as Chairman of the IFALPA Human Performance (HUPER) Committee. He authored international policies on cockpit resource management and cockpit design. He also chaired the NASA Aviation Safety and Reporting System (ASRS) Advisory Subcommittee. For over 15 years, he served as an accredited accident investigator for major investigations and safety audits.

His honors include the FAA Orville Wright Master Pilot Award from 2013. He holds three FAI World Speed Records, including Tokyo to Atlanta and Atlanta to Madrid. The USAF Commander’s Trophy and the Orville Wright Achievement Award from the Daedalian Society recognize his military excellence. He also earned the FAI Diamond Soaring Badge for gliding.

Dr. Smith began writing in 2021. His nonfiction memoir Aeromorphosis chronicles American aviation from 1951 to 2021. Under his pen name, the Volant Legacy series delivers techno-thrillers set in near-future space exploration. The series includes Book I: Earth, Book II: Luna, and the forthcoming Book III: Mars. No other author brings this level of genuine flight experience to the page.