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Catherine Elizabeth Smith is a highly esteemed Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) and aviation educator based in Bowling Green, Ohio. With a career spanning over twenty-five years, she currently serves as the Director and a Teaching Professor at the Bowling Green State University (BGSU) School of Aviation. Since earning her Bachelor of Science in Aviation from BGSU in 1998 and a Master of Education in 2008, she has remained a pivotal figure in Northwest Ohio’s flight community. Her progression from a student to Chief Flight Instructor and eventually a lead administrator highlights her deep commitment to collegiate aviation and professional pilot development.
As an FAA-designated examiner, Smith is authorized to conduct practical tests for a wide range of certificates, including Private, Instrument, Commercial, and Multi-Engine ratings, as well as Flight Instructor (CFI/CFII/MEI) evaluations. She holds an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate and specializes in glass cockpit transition training and advanced technical instruction. Known for her disciplined approach to safety and her role as an advisor for the national-qualifying Falcon Flight Team, she maintains a clean safety record and a reputation for technical excellence. Her dual expertise as both an academic and a high-level examiner ensures that the pilots she certifies meet the highest federal standards of airmanship and safety.