Hi guys,
Just thought I would put a thread on here for poo's and giggles
Just a quick bit about me.
I am 25, born in Cambridge (the proper English one
) and I am currently just about to go into my third year of my PhD in GIS and Integrated Emergency Management (IEM). IEM is the main focus of the work and how GIS can be better used to support IEM decision making in the UK with a wider view of increasing resilience to emergencies and disasters.
My PhD is my third degree and I have been in full-time university education since 1999; so the perpetual, tax-dodging student I am afraid! Bachelors was in Computing & Information Systems, Masters was in Disaster Management & Sustainable Development. I am on a scholarship so I get a "salary" (so-called) and my university fee's paid by the institution. I am due to submit my 75,000 word thesis next November and then hopefully I can go out into the big bad world and get a job (a shocking idea if you ask me!). My work takes me to some interesting places and lets me meet interesting people; I was in the US at the Katrina response working with FEMA in September of last year. I am sure you are aware of the botched response stories, unfortunantely a lot of them were true and everything you saw on the news pretty much reflected reality (which is a first for the US press!
). All good fun. For a somewhat cynical presentation on New Orleans by me, see
http://www.walkingtarget.com/orleans.ppt I was going for officer entry into the RAF but unfortunantly my poor eyesight let me down, hence my pursuit of my current passion: IEM and making the world a better and safer place. I harbour a young and niave desire that we can make the world a better and safer place to live in for us and our kids. Somewhat idealistic I know, but hey, I am a believer.
Joined the Air Training Corps (ATC) as a cadet in 1994 and reached the dizzy heights of Cadet Warrant Officer (CWO) in 1999 (see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Training_Corps for an explanation of what the ATC is all about). Left the ATC at 21 and decided to do something different so joined the local University Royal Naval Unit. Did that for a year and then came over to the USA in 2001 for a years work experience as part of my degree. Lived in New Hampshire for a year and a half and got involved with the Civil Air Patrol leading cadets and taking part in the SAR actvities the CAP does including missions associated with 9/11. 9/11 and my involvement is what got me interested in what I do now. I was so horrified at how un-prepared the US (the supposed most powerful and rich country in the world) was for an event such as this and I started thinking "christ, what would happen in the UK". In short, we would be well and truly buggered and we couldn't handle it - back then anyway - things have improved.
Hey hum. Left the Royal Navy in 2003 ish and finished my degree. Then went onto the MSc in Newcastle-upon-Tyne which is where I am still, doing the PhD.
I live with my fiance here, we got engaged about a month and a bit ago. Got back involved with the ATC again as a Civilian Instructor in late 2003 and started preparing for a commission in the RAF reserve. Passed all of the boards, went to RAF College Cranwell and was succesfully commissioned last year as a Pilot Officer (2nd Lt in US speak). Currently serving as the 2IC of 1156 Squadron in Whitley Bay (see
http://www.1156.org.uk).
One of the Squadron projects is the flight simulator and hence my presence on these forums. My knowledge of electronics, flight simulators etc etc is very minimal but I am determined to build a quality product that can greatly benefit cadet training. The idea is that a new cadet joins the squadron and as part of their basic training, they will get to fly a Grob Tutor about prior to actually going flying at RAF Leeming which is where our aircraft are located. Moving on from there, I want to simulate combat and possibly simulated air display teams. A number of similar projects are taking place in other Squadrons which I anticipate will be linked by broad band links in the future. I am keen that the project is realistic to emerse the cadets in a simulated environment to that end my learning curve on switching, building techniques etc etc is developing at a rapid pace. I will be asking lots of stupid questions so please bear with me.
My other passions in life apart from ATC are airsoft (see my team at
http://www.waspteam.com), Land Rovers and military vehicles and guitar (I have an acoustic and electric). Been playing airsoft since 1999 and the WASPS are one of the older teams in the UK.
My Land Rover 110 Defender is ex-Royal Marines and is a winterised model complete with pre-heater, rear radiators etc. Since purchasing the vehicle my mechanic and I have changed the engine to a far more efficient 200tdi, added power steering, radio racks, ATU wing top radio box (soon to be 2), ATC VHF radio (soon to be 2), new fuel tank, MP3 enabled CD player and speakers, new seats, NATO tow hitch, Discovery transfer box for better motorway driving...the list is endless...Anyway, I love her to death and her name is Elsie after my late grand mother.
Right, I will shut up now I have gibbered on enough
Elsie and I:
Airsoft in the snow:
MSc grad:
Where I am more than likely sat now:
Back in the days as a CWO being my usual sensible self:
Winter survival training in the US:
Taking pics of helis whilst flying in the CAP plane above NH:
SAREX in NH:
KC-135 sim at Pease - apparently you can't loop one...oh well
Remembrance parade in Lebanon, NH...im the one at the back marching properly instead of the weird American "sunday stroll" technique
Right, enough!
Cheers
James
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