One of the things I like most about the Skyaak project is its longevity. Ever since I was first shown a crude paper airplane that consisted simply of two rings of paper taped into loops with a drinking straw fastened to their inside base, and a bit of gum stuck in the front ( that all-important ballast) that looked basically like this...
... I was hooked. It was ‘love at first flight’. If I had only known what would evolve from this first exposure to the wonderful world of ring-wing flight, I would likely have run away screaming. Or not. It has been quite a creative adventure over the past 25 years or so. As you may have gathered by now, the idea has taken flight in my imagination, and has in fact become ‘my muse’. I derive a lot of personal satisfaction from developing the idea further and further. One of the most remarkable things about this whole thing, or so I am told, is the fundamental fact that I have persevered with this for so long without any visible means of support. It is just so easy to blurt out seemingly brilliant ideas in a flash of inspiration ( haven’t we all had those?) only to have the idea fizzle out to that Netherland of unrealized dreams.
On the other hand, it takes a certain spirit of ‘stick-to-itiveness’ to actually get off one’s cerebral butt to make meaningful advances with a pet idea. Especially when there is a substantial financial and time/energy investment at stake. A person has got to decide what their priorities are in their limited time on Earth. Not to sound overly philosophical, but in reality we all are given ONLY a certain amount of that precious gift of TIME. So, will we squander it or actually put it to use in the pursuit of personal happiness and a deep feeling of fulfilment? I think that is the big benefit of hobbies, obsessions and pastimes. As long as they’re reasonably wholesome and productive. But most important, ya gotta get a kick out of it. The bigger the better! Let me tell you, it has been a huge rush to see Skyaak slooooowly come to life over the years. I feel totally blessed that I have had the good fortune to be able to follow my dreams.
And that’s good enough for me.
ADVANCES:
Here is a little collection of working drawings that I put together in 2000, based on a 3-D model that I built:
No comments:
Post a Comment