Rockets

Rockets are just too cool for words

The International Experimental Aerospace Society

As one of the founders IEAS (International Experimental Aerospace Society), I open the invitation to join us. Either contact me or visit the official web page at www.ieas.org. Exciting happenings are under foot.

The International Experimental Aerospace Society is a new organization seeking launch sites and regulatory relief permitting private individuals to fly rocket powered vehicles in the same manner that private individuals fly ultra-lights or home built airplanes. We believe there is little/no difference and are working to get safe and sane rules institutionalized by the FAA, BATF, OCST, ITAR, and the rest of the government alphabet soup.

You yourself - a private individual - can claim to be the tenth space faring society on the planet.! There even exists a $10 million dollar prize which will be awarded to the first private citizen to successfully fly into space and back. Checkout the X-Prize. {not part of IEAS}

A Few of My Projects

Supersonic, high altitude shot

Airplanes

Oh.. I've slipped the surly bonds of Earth and danced the skies on laughter silvered wings -
John Magee Jr, fighter pilot, written shortly before he died in service to his country.

"Real" Flying

The Piper Cherokee I fly (flew?)

Simulated Flying

Laminar Research, the makers of the best flight simulator on the market, have published several planes I designed for them. Checkout some of my simulator designs on the X-Plane web site.

If you are a fan of "simming," buy Laminar Research's X-Plane v7.0. Buy here.

"Someday" vacation plan

Space Adventures is currently selling a package which allows the participant to pilot the famous and formidable Foxbat airplane to the edge of space and back. After a week of ground training, you are given flight time as pilot in command, and you fly a Mach2.5+ ascent to the outter edge of the Earth's atmosphere. The Foxbat flys so fast that a cigarette will light when held against the forward windscreen!

View from the plane

The Foxbat

Cars

I am honestly not a collector, but I do appreciate fine engineering. This is the ticket demon I currently own.

Being a little more realistic, a mid 1960s 'vette may be in the garage one of these days.

Music

The Theme of a generation - all about the Pentiums, Wierd Al

Low bandwidth streaming audio

Broadband streaming video

Popular Music

Chicago is one of the top cities in the world for live jazz, blues, rock and most forms of music.
Check the Friday Chicago Tribune to see who is playing during the weekend.

Metromix is a very good online source for weekend happenings.

The Chicago Reader reports the major events, as well as many lesser known happenings in town.

For large concert tickets, TicketMaster is a good bet.

Classical Music

For the more sublime, the Chicago Symphany Orchestra is a world class orchestra.
Get tickets directy from the CSO website.

Ravinia is a great place to sit under the stars during the warm summer nights and listen to a wide variety of music.
Here is the 2004 schedule for Ravinia. Bring a blanket, food and drink!

Travel

Los Angeles/Beverly Hills

Time stands still in LaLa-Land. The seasons never change and a day will stretch into a year before you know it.

A multimedia video of the time in Beverly Hills.

The City of Lights

The lights of the city

On the town

Around the town

Leaving town

London

The food is aweful and the weather dreary , but London still is one of the great cities of the world.
At least their dialect of the American language is (almost) understandable.