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  #181  
Old 03-22-2006, 09:43 PM
penguin penguin is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: England
Posts: 1,087
Default

I'm also in the aviation industry, but one of those slimey, untrustworthy contractor types . Currently I'm on the latest (last?) manned fighter program and thoroughly enjoying myself. The first airplane will fly this year and is in ground test right now - so it's no longer a paper project. Things are getting exciting. 22 years ago, after college, I started out as an aerodynamicist working stability & control and flying qualities, but now am working systems & software integration and test as well as certification, all on the military "bang & whoosh" side of things - there is a kind of logical progression there, honestly.

I also have a background in real aviation, went solo in a glider at 16 and now have a couple of thousand hours in all kinds of flying machines. I've been hooked on RVs for longer than I care to admit, and still go flying just for the fun of it !

Pete
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  #182  
Old 03-22-2006, 10:17 PM
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JoeG JoeG is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 146
Default Finally Figured It Out

I've spent 43 years trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up...

In no particular order, here is a list of my past/present occupations...

Pizza Maker
Ambulance Dispatcher
Electronic Technician
EMT
Active Duty Air Force (B-52 -D and -H Models - Electronic Warfare Systems)
Police Officer
F-16 - Block 60 Lead EW systems Engineer
Karate Instructor
F-16 - Block 40; Field Support Engineer - From Avionics to hydraZine (i.e. A to Z)
Instrumentation Systems Design Engineer
F-22; RF Compatibility/EMI Engineer
JSF (F-35) Lead EW Systems Engineer
Design/Manufacturing Engineer for Small Electronics Business
CV-22 (Osprey) Flight Test; Senior Technical Consultant
Visual Basic Application Developer
Technical Writer

And Finally... RV-7 Builder. I like that one the best! I still haven't grown up but now I know what I want to do until that happens! Build Airplanes and help others do the same...
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Joe Graham - VAF#569
RV-7 (N7TZ Reserved)
Left Wing in Progress
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  #183  
Old 03-22-2006, 10:27 PM
KnotKrazy KnotKrazy is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Newnan, GA
Posts: 54
Talking Airline puke

I'm the luckiest guy I know. Currently a Boeing 717 Captain for a 'large, Atlanta-based airline'. Been there 8 years and we've been profitable every quarter. No one knows what tomorrow will bring but so far it's been a great ride. Started flying at 15, have been guilty since. Did it for six years for Uncle Sam but otherwise mostly civilian / commercial. If I'm not at work, I'm flying my spam-can or bumming rides with friends. Or at the local flying field with model planes & heli's. Not to worry, still plenty of RV build time! With any luck I'll be RVing in '07...

Marty Esther
RV-7 Wings
N717ME (reserved)
Still poundin' rivets. Jeez, how many of these things are there???
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  #184  
Old 03-22-2006, 11:54 PM
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Phyrcooler Phyrcooler is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 497
Default

After reading Ironflight's post above, I felt compelled to add my 2 cents worth. I had also previously observed a noteworthy lack of representation by the firefighter ranks. So... here I am!

I am a Battalion Chief for a very large Left Coast fire department. I have been in the business of handling life's crisis' for 25 years. Ironically, unlike many kids who grow up wanting to be a firefighter, I had wanted to be a pilot. But as you are dealt your cards in the poker game of life, you often end up with a hand much different that that which you had envisioned. (It has been a great job regardless)

Long story short... I have finally started to work on getting my pilots license, and am also exploring aircraft options and cost effectiveness. Van's has come up as a strong option. For now, I am enjoying the knowledge shared on this board.

Thanks all!
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  #185  
Old 03-23-2006, 08:48 AM
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jlfernan jlfernan is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Port Orange, Fl
Posts: 476
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Police Officer at Miami International Airport. Surrounded by by Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed, McDonnell Douglas, Gulfstream, Dussault, but I'm building an RV!!!!
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http://www.mykitlog.com/JorgeF
Jorge Fernandez
Spruce Creek, FL
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  #186  
Old 03-23-2006, 04:32 PM
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Griff Griff is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Vancouver, Wa.
Posts: 57
Default

Add another machinist type to the ranks of RV builders.
I have 29 years with Hewlett Packard as a model maker machinist, and that does ease the pain of reading drawings and producing parts. I lurked for a long time as a wannabe airplane builder, and then saw the -8 the first year that it was at Oshkosh. I was smitten, and then the next thing that happened was an introduction to Randy Lervold who is the responsible party for luring me over to the dark side. The rest is history.........working on an 8 with 95% done, and 50% to go.

Randy Griffin
RV-8
N925RG
Vancouver, Wa.
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  #187  
Old 03-23-2006, 05:18 PM
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rvatornate rvatornate is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Olathe, KS
Posts: 81
Default

Air Traffic Control Supervisor, Kansas City Air Route Traffic Control Center. Been pushing tin for 15 years. Was a grunt in the U.S. Marine Corps before that.

Nathan Larson
N217JT RV9E 460 hours
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  #188  
Old 03-24-2006, 08:09 AM
JohnRLewis JohnRLewis is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 27
Default Software Guy

I write software for Boeing. Currently working on the Electronic Flight Bag. Right now my free time is spent working on finishing a college degree that got sidelined due to the dot-com-craze. Once done, an RV-10 kit will fill that time nicely.
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  #189  
Old 03-24-2006, 09:56 AM
Toddav8r Toddav8r is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Langley AFB, VA
Posts: 66
Default Guard Guy

I'm a full time Air Guard F-16 Maintenance officer. A&P, CFI/II, Honey-do list Executor, and help the boss manage 1 & 4 year old boys. 20 years in the military (10 enlisted, 10 officer) plan on staying another 10 or so. Just got back from Iraq (Again!!!) and am trying to get through the post deployment honey-do list so I can get back to my RV-8 empannage in the garage....gotta hurry and finish it up...wing kit on the way!!!
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  #190  
Old 03-24-2006, 10:10 AM
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Skytrash Skytrash is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Cameron Park, CA
Posts: 73
Default Mechanical Aerospace

Add another Engineer, Mechanical type. Currently working Tooling Design for an Aerospace Company.

I have been an aviation enthusiast since childhood and wanted to fly for Uncle Sam but my eyesight was 20/30 in one eye. After a year or so recovering from that I decided to jump out of airplanes for Uncle Sam. Four years active duty Army, most in the 82nd Airborne Division. Uncle Sam then helped pay for college and a degree in Mechanical Engineering. I stayed in the Guard and Reserve for another 10 years while in school and working for the big "B" near Seattle. Had fun working Tooling and Ground Support Equipment Design on the B2, F22, V22, 747, 767, 777 and Sea Launch.

Now in California with my lovely wife and loving flying our RV-9A. The 100 hour milestone on the airlplane was on the return trip from NC to CA between Christmas and New Years. These airplanes are great, 16 hrs eastbound, 21 hours westbound, average 6.7 gph.

Thanks to all the Police, Firefighter's and Military who help make this country a place where we can all build our own airplanes and fly nearly wherever and whenever we want.

Blue Skies

Jim Bray
RV-9A
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