From fan to shop owner.
As a kid I always loved scifi vehicle design. Especially spaceships. My first self made spaceship was the Jetsons flying car. I made it with play doe at about 5 years old. In 1977 star wars blew my mind. My first star wars toy was the x-wing fighter I slept with that thing. As a teenager I dreamt of becoming a ship designer for ILM but school for that sort of thing was way out of reach financially. I felt it was a pipe dream. After high school I joined the navy and I was stationed on an aircraft carrier. I was in the division that launched and recovered aircraft. I was surrounded by fighters and attack craft. I thought it was so cool. Then life happens. I got out became a machinist. I noticed no matter hard I worked, no matter how much I learned, no matter many hours I put in, no matter how qualified I was, Its who you know not what you know. Then I discovered resin 3d printing and tinker cad. I taught myself how to put what's in my in my computer.
When Han Solo said "I made a few modifications myself" I wanted to know what were the modifications and how was the falcon in its stock form. I think of that every time I design or customize a ship. I see a vehicle as a persons horse. An extension of its rider, driver or pilot. You can make them go faster or become stronger.
I quit my job to do something that makes me happy. Hopefully I can make a living doing this. I know how stupid that sounds, but now I'm the pilot and I'm gonna try to stay in flight instead of a passenger with someone else controlling my fate.
