A C L O S E R L O O K
Meet Your Lead Machinist & Welder,
Mike Smith
QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP — THAT’S
WHAT MOTIVATES Mike Smith. As the
lead machinist and welder at Kenmore
Air, doing things the right way every
time is essential. “I like having to do
stuff right. I like that part of my job,”
said Mike. In his role at Kenmore Air
Mike specializes in creating prototypes,
fabricating custom parts, making tools,
and producing small production runs of
parts.
Mike supports the aircraft maintenance
operation at Kenmore Air as well
as the parts department and EDO floats.
Fabricating parts from scratch wasn’t
Mike’s first career. He started working
as a car mechanic when he was 20. In
the 10 years following, he grew tired
of repairing things he knew he could
improve upon. “So I decided if I wanted
stuff to work properly, I’d have to make
it myself,” said Mike.
This is how, in his early 30s, Mike
found himself making a career shift into
KEY FACTS
Occupation: Metal
Fabricator
Age: 61
Birthplace: Columbus,
Idaho
Residence: Phinney Ridge,
Seattle
Years with Kenmore: 19
Years in the Industry: 30
metal fabrication. Originally, he went
to work for a metal shop in Seattle’s
Fremont neighborhood. “The shop
made architectural metalwork and art.
There were a lot of wild projects,” Mike
recounted. The fabrication skills he
learned there combined with his automotive
experience, made it possible to
pursue a dream of working as a race car
mechanic. He found a job in a race car
restoration shop specializing in vintage
racing while also working at the track
as a mechanic. It was a career shift that
highlighted his love of the technical side
of projects. “I’m more technical than
artistic,” he explained.
Kenmore Air, as a next career step,
was a natural evolution, as it offered
a regular work schedule while still
providing the demand for high-level
craftsmanship. It was a welcome change
from the grueling hours of the race track
and shop. “Race cars need to be reliable
and work perfectly. And airplanes do
too. So they’re very similar industries.
It’s just that here, I get to go home for
dinner every night instead of working
12-14 hour days,” said Mike. “Plus, I’m
really proud of Kenmore’s safety record.
We have a reputation for high-level
workmanship and reliability. That’s
really important to me.”
One of the programs Mike supports
is Kenmore’s aircraft restoration. The
de Havilland Beavers the company flies
haven’t been manufactured since 1967.
To keep these aircraft in top shape, they
are completely restored to better than
OEM condition.
For example, Mike fabricates the Beaver
fuselage struts that hold the engine
mount to the rest of the airplane. “To
say those are critical to the aircraft is an
understatement. We manufacture them
from scratch, building an improved
version of the original. I like doing those
because they are a critical element of
the aircraft. I like that part of my job. I
like being responsible for such a vital
element of the plane’s safety,” Mike said.
It is work like Mike’s and the other
“I like having to do stuff right.
I like that part of my job.”
highly-skilled technicians at Kenmore
that have earned the program a reputation
for restoring aircraft to a betterthan-new
condition. In fact, Beavers
that Kenmore restores are fondly known
as ‘Kenmore Beavers.’
Outside of the shop, Mike enjoys
spending time with his wife Rachel, his
daughter Emersen, and his two pointers,
Angus and Zeke. He enjoys fly fishing
and horseback field trials.
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