The late Eugene Smith, EAA 105537, of Rolla, Missouri, whose creative engineering mind developed more than 20 ultralight aircraft designs, will be recognized on November 8 when he is posthumously inducted into the Ultralights Hall of Fame as part of EAA’s annual program lauding notable people from throughout the sport aviation community.
The induction dinner on November 8 will be held in the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and also includes inductees from the homebuilt, vintage, and warbird aircraft areas, as well as those involved in aerobatic flying.
Smith, who died in December 2016, earned a mechanical engineering degree and eventually started a flight training and crop-dusting operation while also owning a farm in Missouri. His gift and passion for mechanical design and innovation led him in 1998 to start Valley Engineering with his son, Larry. That company designed the popular Back Yard Flyer ultralight, which was demonstrated every year at the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in convention.
Smith also created more than 20 other aircraft as he continually sought to improve his designs. In 2001, he acquired Culver Props, and his two businesses have long supplied the ultralight and light-sport aircraft communities with complete aircraft, as well as components such as reduction drive systems, engines, and propellers.
“Gene Smith was in many ways the quintessential ultralight enthusiast and designer,” said Timm Bogenhagen, EAA’s ultralight and light-plane community manager. “He believed in making flight as accessible as possible, but always sought to take the next step in aircraft design and flying capabilities.”