Dick Smith
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2008-06-25T09:03:43Z
Dolphin51
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/* Aviation */ Refinements only
{{otheruses1|the Australian entrepreneur}}
{{Infobox Person
| name = Dick Smith AO
| image =
| image_size = 221px
| caption = <span style="line-height:14px;">Dick Smith displaying some of his<br>Dick Smith Foods products</span>
| birth_name = Richard Harold Smith
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1944|3|18}}
| birth_place = [[Roseville, New South Wales]]
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| nationality = {{AUS}}n
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| known_for = [[Entrepreneur]], [[businessperson|businessman]], [[aviator]], [[philanthropist]]
| education = [[North Sydney Technical High School]]
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| occupation =
| title = Officer of the [[Order of Australia]]
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| spouse = Phillipa McManarney
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| children = Two
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'''Dick Smith''', [[Order of Australia|AO]] (born '''Richard Harold Smith''' on {{birth date|1944|3|18}}) is an [[Australia]]n [[entrepreneur]], [[businessperson|businessman]] and [[aviator]]. He is known for his qualities as an Australian patriot and [[philanthropist]].<ref name="NADC-AOTYA" />{{Failed verification|date=February 2008}}
==Aviation==
{{Expand-section|more examples of his many notable flights and expeditions|date=September 2007}}
Smith learned to fly in [[1972]], graduating on a twin engine Beech Baron. In [[1976]] he competed in the [[Perth, Western Australia|Perth]] to [[Sydney]] air race<ref>Glines, Carroll V., [http://books.google.com/books?id=dTkgOHAYphUC&pg=PA316&lpg=PA316&dq=1976+perth+to+sydney+airrace&source=web&ots=9VrOlrzzDy&sig=VL9NNANJsuh_Z6kWEsjp3i34SbA#PPA316,M1 Round-the-world flights], p 316</ref>. At the age of 33 he purchased his first helicopter, a [[Bell Jetranger]]. With it he made a record-setting flight from [[Sydney]] to [[Lord Howe Island]] and return, 1185 km. The helicopter opened new opportunities for exploring places otherwise innacessible. In [[1978]] he found the wreck of the ''Kookaburra'' aircraft, which crash-landed in the Central Australian Desert in [[1929]]. <ref>Smith, D., ''The Earth Beneath Me'', ISBN 0 207 14360 6, p. 1-3</ref>
Smith's admiration for the early aviation pioneers led him to successfully attempt the first solo helicopter flight around the world. His flight began in [[Fort Worth]], [[Texas]], on 5 August [[1982]], in a newly purchased [[Bell Jetranger|Bell Jetranger 206B]]. On 19 August, the 50th anniversary of [[James Allan Mollison|James Mollison]]'s solo crossing of the Atlantic, he arrived at [[Balmoral Castle]], [[United Kingdom]] where he met [[Prince Charles]]. From there he flew to [[London]], where, later that day, the first stage of his flight ended, after 11752 km. The second stage of his flight started in [[London]] on 13 September, and finished in [[Sydney]], [[Australia]], 3 October [[1982]], 23092 km later.<ref>Smith, D., ''The Earth Beneath Me'', ISBN 0 207 14360 6</ref> On 25 May [[1983]] the final stage of the flight started. Not being granted permission to land in USSR, he arranged to land on a ship to refuel. His journey ended on 22 July [[1983]], the 50th anniversery of [[Wiley Post]]'s solo aeroplane flight around the world on 22 July [[1933]].
Smith has been a vocal advocate for the [[civil aviation]] industry in Australia. He served as Chairman of the board of the Civil Aviation Authority from [[1990]] to [[1992]]; and Chairman of the board of the [[Civil Aviation Safety Authority]] from [[1997]] to [[1999]].
In February [[2000]], Smith and his co-pilot John Wallington became the first people to successfully complete an east-west crossing of the [[Tasman Sea]] by balloon, from [[New Zealand]] to Australia against generally-prevailing winds.<ref>{{cite web | title = Speaker Dick Smith Full Biography - Speakers Bureau @ ICMI | work = | publisher = Inform Communicate Motivate International (Australia) | date = | url = http://www.icmi.com.au/Entertainer/Bands/Dick_Smith/Biography | format = HTML | accessdate = 2007-09-19 }}</ref>
On [[7 January]] [[2006]], Smith flew his [[Cessna 208|Cessna Grand Caravan]] from Sydney to [[Harihari]] on the [[Westland District|West Coast]] of New Zealand's [[South Island]] to mark the 75th anniversary of the first solo [[trans-Tasman]] flight by [[Guy Menzies]] in 1931<ref name="madgwick">{{cite news | author = Madgwick, Paul | url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/dick-smith-recreates-first-solo-transtasman-flight/2006/01/07/1136609980878.html | title = Dick Smith recreates first solo trans-Tasman flight | publisher = The Sydney Morning Herald | date = 2006-01-08 | accessdate= 2006-04-18 }}</ref>.
==Business ventures==
===Electronics===
{{main|Dick Smith Electronics}}
In [[1968]], Dick Smith founded a small electronics retailer [[Dick Smith Electronics]]. In [[1982]], he sold the business to [[Woolworths Limited|Woolworths]] for $20 million<ref>{{cite episode | title = Talking Heads | url = http://www.abc.net.au/tv/talkingheads/ |serieslink = |credits = |network = Australian Broadcasting Corporation | airdate = 2007-05-07 |transcripturl=http://www.abc.net.au/talkingheads/txt/s1913699.htm | accessdate = 2007-09-19 }}</ref>, and the business still retained his name in the business title and a caricature of his image in the company's branding.
Over the years, his electronics company had many hostile fights with [[Radio Shack]] which tried to push him out of the market.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} He fought back (once, by staging a demonstration outside their store) and often won by Australians supporting one of their own.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Dick Smith Electronics entered the [[United States]] with stores in Northern California, but were closed in the late 1980s.
===Australian products===
{{main|Dick Smith Foods}}
[[Image:Dicksmith-dickheads.jpg|thumb|151px|Dick Smith Food's "Dickheads" matches]]
Smith founded [[Dick Smith Foods]] in [[1999]], marketed as a crusade against foreign ownership of Australian food producers, particularly [[Arnott's Biscuits Holdings|Arnott's Biscuits]], which in 1997 became a wholly owned subsidiary of the [[Campbell Soup Company]]. Dick Smith Foods only sells foods produced in Australia by Australian-owned companies.<ref>{{cite web | title = Dick Smith Foods - Mission Statement | work = About Us | publisher = Dick Smith Foods | url = http://www.dicksmithfoods.com.au/index.php?d=main&p=sitemap | format = HTML | accessdate = 2007-09-19 }}</ref>
Dick Smith Foods' products are often named to parody the items they compete with – for example, in competition with [[Redheads (matches)|Redheads]] matches, Smith sells near-identically packaged matches called "[[Dickheads matches|Dickheads]]". A chocolate biscuit called "Temptin'" competed directly with the established favourite Arnott's [[Tim Tam]]. In 2003 Arnott's took legal action against Dick Smith Foods, resulting in an out-of-court settlement that required the "p" in the Temptin' logo to be increased in size.<ref>{{cite web | title = Battle of the Biscuits: Dick Smith Foods & Arnotts declare a truce | work = Media Releases | publisher = Dick Smith Foods | url = http://www.dicksmithfoods.com.au/?d=media&p=04jun03 | date = 2003-06-04 |format = HTML | accessdate = 2007-09-19 }}</ref>
===Publishing===
{{main|Australian Geographic}}
In [[1983]] he published the book "The earth beneath me" which describes his solo helicopter flight around the world. Two documentaries were also filmed during the flight, and a third one after.
In [[1985]], Smith founded the [[magazine]] ''[[Australian Geographic]]'', a ''[[National Geographic]]''-style magazine focusing on Australia. Smith didn't want to greatly expand Australian Geographic, but his friend and [[CEO]] Ike Bain convinced him to change his mind and soon it was a thriving business.
==Stunts==
Smith has also attempted a number of well-publicised [[practical joke]]s, the grandest of which was the "attempt" to tow an [[iceberg]] from [[Antarctica]] to Australia to obtain more fresh water. In the early 1980s Dick Smith served as the conductor aboard a [[Routemaster|London double decker bus]] which jumped 25 [[Harley Davidson]] [[motorcycles]]. The bus, driven by [[Hans Tholstrup]], was an attempt to upstage [[Evel Knievel]] who was visiting Australia to jump a Harley Davidson over 24 London buses. Dick Smith's presence on the bus was a last minute decision by himself.<ref>{{cite web | title = The Flying Omnibus | work = Motorcycle Gallery | publisher = Dropbears | date = 2006-03-25 | url = http://www.dropbears.com/m/models/specials/busjump.htm | format = HTML | accessdate = 2007-09-19 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Front Seat of the Race Bus | work = | publisher = Millennium Ride | date = 2002-04-11 | url = http://www.milly.org/hkingman/oz/oz2.htm | format = HTML | accessdate = 2007-09-19 }}</ref>
==Awards==
Smith was awarded an [[Officer of the Order of Australia]] in the [[Australia Day]] Honours of 1999, for his services to the community, charity and business.<ref>[http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=872574&search_type=quick&showInd=true It's an Honour] - Officer of the Order of Australia</ref>
Dick Smith was awarded [[Australian of the Year]] in [[1986]].<ref name="NADC-AOTYA">{{cite web | title = National Australia Day Council - Australian of the Year Award | work = Award Recipients, Australian of the Year | publisher = National Australia Day Council | date = | url = http://www.australianoftheyear.gov.au/pages/page79.asp | format = HTML | accessdate = 2007-09-19 }}</ref>
Smith was awarded the Baden-Powell Award in [[1966]],<ref name="DS-SA">{{cite web | title = Dick Smith - Scouts Australia | work = Famous Scouts | publisher = Scouts Australia | url = http://www.scouts.com.au/main.asp?iStoryID=848 | format = HTML | accessdate = 2007-09-19 }}</ref> the highest award in the [[Rovers (Australia)|Rover Section]], after 14 years in the Scouting movement.
{{cquote|I began as a Cub at eight and went right through to Rovers at age 23. I was very much a loner and Scouting gave me mateship, taught me organisation and how to motivate people. That's why I was able to be the success I am.|30px|30px|Dick Smith<ref name="DS-SA" />}}
Smith gained his [[amateur radio]] [[licence]] at the age of 17 and holds [[call sign]] VK2DIK.<ref>{{cite web | title = QRZ.COM VK2DIK | work = | publisher = QRZ.COM | date = | url = http://www.qrz.com/detail/VK2DIK | format = HTML | accessdate = 2007-09-19 }}</ref>
==Advocacy==
{{Citecheck|date=September 2007}}
In 2004, Dick Smith gave public support to the asylum seeker [[Peter Qasim]], eventually released in 2005 by the Australian Government after seven years in detainment. This support included a visit to [[Afghanistan]] seeking evidence of Qasim's claims.
<ref>{{cite news|url=http://perth.indymedia.org/?action=newswire&parentview=9133|publisher=Perth Independent Media|title=Dick Smith to Save Peter Qasim - 6 Years in Detention|date=[[2005-03-01]]}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=September 2007}} <ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15963728%255E2702,00.html|publisher=The Australian|title=After 7 years, detainee wants job|date=date}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=September 2007}}
Smith donated AU$60,000 in 2007 towards the campaign to secure a fair trial for Australian terrorism suspect [[David Hicks]], who had been held in a U.S. military prison in Cuba's Guantanamo bay for five years without charge, who then subsequently pleaded guilty. <ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=226760|publisher=NineMSN|title=Dick Smith donates $60,000 to free Hicks|date=[[2007-02-18]]}}</ref>
Smith is a prominent member of the [[Australian Skeptics]], and has supported research into [[dowsing|water divining]].{{Fact|date=September 2007}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==Further reading==
*{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/sundayprofile/stories/s1416294.htm|title=Sunday Profile interview with Dick Smith|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=[[2005-07-17]]|author=Monica Attard}}
*Bain, Ike. ''The Dick Smith Way'', McGraw-Hill, Sydney, 2002.
*Smith, Dick. ''The earth beneath me : Dick Smith’s epic journey across the world'', Angus & Robertson London 1983, ISBN 0207146306
*Smith, Dick. ''Our fantastic planet : circling the globe via the poles with Dick Smith'', Terry Hills N.S.W. Australian Geographic, 1991, ISBN 1862760071
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{{Australian_of_the_Year_Award | before=[[Paul Hogan]] | after=[[John Farnham]]| year=1986}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Dick}}
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:Australian aviators]]
[[Category:Australian businesspeople]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Amateur radio people]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of Australia]]
[[pt:Dick Smith]]