Nick Smith

About Nick Smith

Bachelor\'s degree from the University of Washington in Aerospace Engineering & a Master\'s degree from Georgia Tech also in Aerospace Engineering with a focus on Propulsion/Combustion. Attended Saint Martins University in 2007 on an academic/athletic scholarship. I transferred to the University of Washington after 2 years. Graduated from the University of Washington in June, 2012 with a Bachelors in Aerospace Engineering.While at the UW I was team lead of the UW NASA Microgravity team that was selected to fly & test the sorting & distribution of lunar regolith in zero gravity conditions on board the vomit comet. Also, was one of four team leads for the UW senior space design team that was selected as the 2012 RASC-AL undergraduate champions for our report and presentation on establishing a mining colony on the surface of the moon. We presented at the 2012 Space Conference in Pasadena, CA. The summer after graduation from UW I was an intern at Boeing as part of the USAF Tanker program. While at Boeing I worked in system integration engineering & worked on integration testing, part databases, test reporting, and schedule integration. I attended Georgia Tech for my Master\'s Degree in Aerospace Engineering as a graduate researcher in the Ben T. Zinn combustion lab. I focused my work on propulsion, combustion and space design while researching Rolls Royce injector configurations in a high pressure combustion test rig. Following grad school I returned to Boeing for a 2 year rotation program in Propulsion that allowed me to work on the in Propulsion Integration, the KC-46 Tanker as an Engine and APU Fuels Analysis and Certification Engineer, and in Boeing Propulsion Core as a Fuels Properties and Flammability Analysis Engineer.Worked at an aerospace company in San Diego, CA as a Flight Test Director for 5 years. Received Private Pilot License and Ground Instructing license. Created my own business, Part Time Pilot online flight training where we have now helped over 350 students take and pass their private pilot exams!

Experience

1. Founder

   Part Time Pilot

   Jul 2022 — Present

   I am the founder and CEO of Part Time Pilot where we help future pilots achieve their dreams of learning to fly while making it less stressful on both their mind and their wallets. 8 out of 10 student pilots NEVER become pilots. It is Part Time Pilot’s mission to change that. One of the main reasons for this high rate of failure is costs. And they are only getting worse. Part Time Pilot attacks that problem by offering a unique online learning experience. With the online tools we have today there is no reason that any student pilot cannot learn EVERYTHING they need to know to be a pilot from the comfort of their own home and in the comfort of their own schedule. offers live lessons, do it yourself lessons, quizzes, practice tests, video lessons, audio lessons, eBooks, flash cards, and community study groups. We also offer scholarships to our students and have the absolute BEST affiliate program for hour building flight instructors to help them earn extra cash on their way to a career in aviation. I got the idea to start Part Time Pilot after going through my own flight training experience. Long story short it was a super expensive and stressful experience. And it made me think, if someone like me who has a good paying job and a bachelors and masters in aerospace engineer almost didn’t make it through… then no wonder so many student pilots are failing. The industry is too focused on PROFITS and not focused on the student! Even airlines are starting to realize this and are having to start their own training programs to fill the pilot demand. Part Time Pilot aims to be the outlier in the industry. A company that student pilots can trust is in their best interest.

Education

• Georgia Institute of Technology

  Master's Degree, Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering

  2012 — 2013

• University of Washington

  Bachelor's degree, Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering

• University of Washington

  Bachelors of Science, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering

  2010 — 2012