Who was Art Smith?
Art Smith lived during the first years of powered flight, when an airplane could still stop a crowd in its tracks. Pilots flew exposed to the wind, with little between them and the sky. Building, repairing, and learning were part of the same adventure.
His full name was Arthur Roy Smith. SFO Museum identifies him as a Fort Wayne aviator whose performances included both daytime aerobatics and illuminated flights after dark. Read SFO Museum’s account.
A dream built by hand.
At fifteen, Art decided to build an airplane. He had no money, no instructor, and no proven path to follow. People called his dream foolish.
As told in Fearless, his path included failure, crashes, rebuilding, and learning. The dream asked more of him than belief alone. It asked him to prepare, take action, accept help, and keep working when things went wrong.
His story still speaks to anyone who has a dream but isn’t sure how to begin. Most of us will never build an airplane. But we know what it feels like to have an idea before we know how to make it happen.
Flying above San Francisco in 1915.
At the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, Art’s flying was part of the spectacle of the world’s fair. His biplane shared the setting with exhibition buildings, crowds, and the San Francisco waterfront.
During the day, audiences watched aerobatic routines. At night, fireworks attached to his airplane illuminated his flight. SFO Museum’s exhibition Flying on Display describes these performances and the early aviation world around them.
The photographs on this site preserve that world: Art smiling at the controls, people gathered beside his airplane, spectators feeling the wind from the plane, and light tracing his path across the night sky. Explore the rare photographs and films.
From exhibition flights to flying the mail.
Art later joined the U.S. Air Mail Service. The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum records his service from April 1, 1923, until February 12, 1926. In August 1923, he took part in experimental day-and-night transcontinental mail service, flying mail from Cleveland to Chicago.
He died in an aircraft crash near Montpelier, Ohio, on February 12, 1926. See the National Postal Museum’s biography of Arthur Roy Smith.
Why his story became Fearless.
For Bruce Eicher, Art’s story is also a family story. Art was his grandmother Ilene Smith Sprunger’s cousin. Bruce and his brother Tim grew up hearing about Art and Otto Smith—stories of daring and persistence, great promise and real tragedy.
Fearless brings Art’s life together with historic photographs and questions that connect his experiences to your own. It is a true story of adventure, romance, and invention, with an invitation to consider what you can do with your own talents and passions.
Art’s story inspired Bruce to ask, “What am I doing to make a difference in the world?” His hope is that the book will help readers pursue—or renew—their dreams, grow, and make a contribution.
Explore Fearless on Amazon