Overview:
Hi Folks. I was raised in the first half of my childhood impoverished.
We had very little. Everything including toys, was second hand. We lived
in a cramped apartment. Luckily, thanks to a Christian organization that
provided day care, I was able to go on a few field trips during the summers.
The greatest of these were visiting a handful of museums, one of which
featured rocketry. I will never forget standing next to a rocket with
an engine that seemed to be 1 or 2 stories high. We visited other science
and children's museums.In the second half of my childhood, I was raised in a middle-middle class environment. We had a house with a front and back yard. It was still a little cramped when trying to share facilities, because I had gained additional brothers. Yes folks, our mom married into a middle class lifestyle to a wonderful man, who to this day is my dad , above and beyond my bio father who I have no memory of. I was no wizard in school. I was always a B student, even through college. I was told early on from Commander Smith, that I had an aptitude for science. It was a catholic military school. Even this school could not tame me. They finally asked me to leave a week before graduation ceremonies. I graduated however, and am thankful that my academics were in the B range at such a challenging school. During high school, I slacked off my freshman year. In fact, I had to take summer school to catch up with the rest of the class. I squeezed by in summer school, just barely. Folks, I was apathetic and just did not apply myself. Shortly thereafter I went to a continuation school for a while. My mother passed away around this time after great suffering for a long time, suffering from terminal illness for probably a couple of years or so. I was still in continuation school and I was generally unhappy with life. My dad of course was depressed, but remained a pillar of strength. I finally got so bored, apathetic, and "depressed", that I thought to myself, what about a challenge? I applied to another private school, which was a catholic moderate high school (meaning they accepted anyone who met academic, and general faith, ethics, and other requirements). I am often told that catholic schools are just plain tough. This school in no way shyed away from common curriculum, and even taught so called controversial subject matter, and they taught it well. Once again, I graduated as a B student and was prepared for college. After graduation, my dad let me join an ambassador program as a graduation present. For around three or four weeks, I toured many countries in Europe and some of their fine institutions, museums, cities, monuments, historical sites, etc. I even visited a former Eastern Bloc, Hungary. After the trip was over, I thought to myself; Now what? I went to a junior college to obtain at least an A.A degree and to major in international business. I obtained my degree, took several business classes, took several computer courses, and changed my major to Computer Science with transferable units to a Cal State University. I achieved senior status as a B student in Computer Science with graduation around the corner. I was working part time mostly from the age of 13, and college years were no exception. Working part time and being educated as a full time student was very difficult - especially Computer Science (this stuff will whack your mind). There was a lot of math and other pre-req requirements. I took my fifth algebra course, trig, pre-calculus, calculus, and discrete math with success, along with several programming and engineering courses with success. Folks, Calculus during a short summer course was brutal, and I had expenditures along with increased work at my job - this situation finally broke my back. I had just one semester to graduation, or about 1/2 year, or about 7 more classes? Oh well, it did not happen. I now realize today, how valuable the knowledge I have is, just look at the internet and modern computing technology. Of the dozens of classes I did take, I am happy to say that I was not one of the ones slipping through college in a drunken stupor taking liberal arts courses. Technology is a very tough field and I applied myself in each course with around a 3.0 GPA. Lastly, in philosophy, my cumulative credits add up to a degree, and I am applying for an honorary Masters in the sciences. From this point until about 2003 (around 3 years), I simply worked in various jobs from data processing to janitorial. I became apathetic again, but certainly worked hard and excelled at my jobs out of income necessity, and not because of love of the work. Around 2002, I was attacked by a dog. I suffered injuries that required medical attention and physical rehab. I ended up with cash compensation of around $20,000. I still worked at my second job, but could no longer perform at my primary job. I used the $20,000 as supplemental income to begin tinkering, buying tools, doing experiments, building stuff, being creative, and exploring. During all these bumps in the road, I could never stop learning. It seemed to be in my nature. I constantly kept up with alternative media, especially media that embellished science, business, and politics. My cable programming was almost strictly science related, and I have never lost a feel for the political atmosphere in this country either. As I continued dabbling in modern knowledge and exploring experimentation with the $20,000 injury compensation, income possibilities and self-investment became my primary interest. I should say, a passion for making cool stuff was my primary interest, but there was a realization that some of the ideas I was dabbling in could reap financial success. As I began experimenting with electronics and materials, I had to talk to a lot of folks for suggestions on my little projects. I was working on robotic fish for an artificial aquarium when a gentleman suggested that he heard that a lighted fishing lure could attract fish. A lighted fishing lure - How cool is that? A gold mine if you ask me. I have always loved lighting and technology, and this was just too cool to pass up. Long story short - after tons of research, I invented an LED fishing lure. OK, so I have a fishing lure that blinks (winkyeyes). Now what? I'm thinking of legal protection, manufacturing, and sales. Folks, I did all of it. I came up with methods of manufacture that would allow me to bang out several hundred lures a day. I established multiple supply lines. I visited with numerous business development agencies and organizations. I began global sales online. I measured results. I took feedback. I constantly perfected my system. I watched finances. Folks, I went through a logistical, marketing, manufacturing, social, and financial hell for this little puppy. I went into the lions den (US govt. agencies) to learn more. I went to trade shows. I can not tell you how many thousands of people I have met during this process from retail customer and beyond. I put my skills to the test. My customers loved Winkyeyes! So the customers loved WinkyEyes Killer LED Lures. I could fill orders by the hundreds. Now what? It seemed to me that such a successful product should be produced in the millions if needed. I developed a personal business and partnership relationship with David (my friend). He loved the idea, coached me, and became a consultant and partner. He had me really take a hard look at the numbers and profit potential. Folks, I was astonished to discover a huge potential. To this day, I promote the LED lures and some of the other fishing technology that we have discovered. I continue to seek investor funds for mass production of multiple fishing products. During all of this internal activity, I am laboring in the fish processing and commercial fishing industry, as well as coming across opportunities in boating after my travels to the Puget Sound Area. The Sound has some definite fishing opportunities, and the commercial and boating industry seems to be pretty strong. We do tons of business in the Sound, out in the Pacific, in Alaska, and everywhere in between. Try some Alaska Salmon folks, it is good eating. The Sound also generates some of its local Salmon which is quite flavorful. OK Folks. So I am seeking investor funds for some great ideas to help automate some of the manufacturing for several products. I continue building the website with free and interesting content. I develop four new novel and technology products. So at this point, I begin dreaming of healthy revenue streams. What would I do with the cash? Once again, I sought a challenge. I continue learning computer programming, science, and technology. I read around 50 more books including physics, computer programming, chemistry, and calculus. I finally am able to comprehend the Calculus text up to multiple variables and vectoring - pretty cool stuff! Well then, I can program and add numbers, and I have a couple of websites, some cool products, some business experience, and general education as well as higher learning. I am working for a company that engineers yachts. At this point, I return to an old hobby of mine, airflight. I feel we have enough fishing products and ideas, and now I want to have a little fun. I look around my very humble box/shop and begin carving foam into an airframe. Combining previous knowledge from several model R/C aircraft and my personal technical abilities, I come up with a simple delta shape or a flying wing. We know that many flying wings have great performance records, so as I model this, my primary concern is in learning the mathematical relationships regarding ratios of lift, weight, mass, length, and glide slope. I am also concerned with structural strength, keeping it light, and selecting building materials. I also want predictability. When I scale this up in at least three stages, the math should offer predictability in performance. I am also considering trim, control, and safety. No matter how good the design, if you are off anywhere by 1%, you will have to make adjustments. For 1000s of hours, I put thought and effort into this puppy. I toss a dinky little model into the air. It tells me a lot. I need scales, a wind tunnel, molds, materials, ultra sound equipment, etc. In order to help solicit additional funds for this project, I decide to found an aerospace company which will be the eventual manufacturer of pMAV - or personal manned air vehicle. Keep in mind that I am working at a company that engineers watercraft. I can't help but think that some of these folks might want a piece of this. Also, keep in mind that I am also promoting the fishing business at the same time. A gentleman approaches me and says, an ultra-light aircraft would be great for going to remote areas for fishing. I also can't help but think that a captain might want to scout over the horizon. So at this point, we have huge challenges for this aircraft to be versatile. That would be great if we could make it amphibious or a VSTOL. Perhaps pontoons? A short fabricated landing deck on a ship? So I had to put the pMAV as an experimental and general ultra-light concept under experimental aircraft. It is important to note, that this aircraft can fit into a few categories, depending on different criteria! The first criteria is upscaling and making sure all the numbers work. The second criteria is to form this into a general aviation vehicle and ultra-light aircraft for general public use - without big government regulation. The third criteria is to make sure that all the numbers add up for more extreme systems and configurations. In the meantime, I have acquired tons of technical knowledge which I thought I could begin to develop conceptually toward aerospace, which I believe is one of our greatest achievements and endeavors. For decades, we have dabbled in spaceflight. Econ 101 says that if you have demand and scarcity, somebody will supply the void for the sake of profit. I believe that safe spaceflight is in demand, and is most certainly scarce. There are many companies and agencies today that are stepping up and filling the void. Econ 101 says that the more we perfect a product, it becomes more like a commodity and more affordable. Are PC computer processing chips in many ways similar to a tradable commodity? Can just about anyone afford a personal computer today? What is the future of Skycab aerospace? At the least, I hope to develop a great affiliate program with tons of information and knowledge. Perhaps this site could be one reservoir of information, navigation, input, news, learning, interactivity, data collection, and other unforeseen possibilities. I hope to refine the current format since it was compiled in only a few days from a broad outline. I will try to further organize the subject matter. It may be difficult when speaking of a subject, to not stray from aerospace (which is the crux of this website). One of the ideas in the mission statement section, is the idea that marine and aerospace technologies have everyday consumer and industrial applications. The nature of the materials and the science for marine and aerospace technologies is such that they are developed for extreme conditions, and thus produce some of the best consumer technologies available on the market today. Thanks for reading and check back from time to time for developments. |
Summary:Since my journeys are so numerous and ongoing, there really is no summary other than to say come hell or highwater, I will continue pushing aerospace and have several thousand hours devoted to the research, science, engineering, physics, and math of such endeavors and we have many affiliates. |
Pic Group:FOLDER: backstory
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