Aerospace engineer, mostly in a research / management environment. When allowed out for good behaviour flying instructor. In between - light aircraft test pilot and writer.
G
About 12 years ago I retired early.
I worked in an Engineering Consultancy and then a couple of banks, but the common theme was mathematical modelling: road traffic flows, iron and steel plant production flows, and then financial derivatives.
I never worked in IT, but there was always a strong computing element in what I did, coding up the maths. Even as I got more "managerial" I still managed to get my hands dirty!
I'm slowly plugging away at the flying part of an IR. So far I'm renting, but post-IR (if I get there) I would look to buy.
I run a small, niche business finding and acquiring residential property for high net-worth private clients; London houses and apartments, country houses and sporting estates. I fell into property when the career as a budding racing driver didn't pan out - sort of a holiday job that went wrong.
In my spare time I fly a Saratoga - 33% business and 67% pleasure!
I manage an engineering staff doing first-of-a-kind R&D efforts. MW scale electrical power and machinery are typically involved, and I've been boringly working for the same employer for a long time. Due to changes in UK policy you will no longer be blaming me if RN aircraft fail to launch :-)
The connection between flying and my work is rational technical risk management, the disconnect is that its not complex and abstract, it's very simple and its me! That's what makes it fun.
I've now accumulated almost seven years experience as an Old Age Pensioner. Previously 43+ years teaching maths/science in state secondary schools - with no absences. It's an easy life once you get a reputation with the kids. (aged13 -18 years)
Director of a small open source development and consulting company. We mainly work on very large web projects and specialise in solving big search problems. I handle the project and programme management for our larger jobs, and deal with a bit of everything else.
Sales Director for a division of a big American company that acquired a storage (IT hardware) business I was previously with... We built that from scratch, I got involved halfway through representing a PE fund on the board, then quit banking and joined the business to grow the International division, learned I'm good at sales management, and we eventually floated it on NYSE...
But like most of you, all of this came about via IT: I was an IT Director within a global investment bank before getting sucked into the PE fund. Earlier on I did avionics engineering in the RAAF - always wanted to fly, did some gliding on RAAF bases in my late teens (I'm 50 now) but couldn't afford PPL until living in the UK and earning City money... that was back in 2000.
Now own a 1967 Cherokee 180 which I pan to fly home to Australia later this year, and a share in a Stinson with a broken engine we can't fix :-(
Engineer by training (combustion engines and ships), worked as a ship designer after graduation for three years. Now owner of a stationery wholesale and a stationery production businesses together with my dear wife. Now late forties and dreaming about retirement.
Some IT background too, Linux and Open Source advocate and managing five Linux servers at my company. This was my biggest hobby until I started flying my C172 G1000. PPL with ambition for IR if EASA makes it affordable.
Miroc
IT consultant for SAP.
Doctor, albeit with an interest in programming and electronics. No specialty as yet. Am I really the only one here?
