About Us
Paul E. Nelson
This is what I submitted to the Northwest Rocketry email list for "what do you do" thread . . .
I invested 50 cents in an Estes Streak about 1964 AD or so
(the glaciers had just melted). After I lost the Streak, the rocketry went into
remission for 38 years. Somehow, I managed to fill the interval with getting an
engineering degree, job at the local airplane outfit, playing with various
sports cars and boats. As usual, the excessive income problem was solved by
marriage, house, kids, etc. (But worth every penny, Honey!)
In March 2002, quite innocently, I got my son Ian an Estes Flash. Then I went on
the web to research suitable launch sites. Now, having had a bout with this
disorder when I was young, I should have recognized the onset symptoms and
sought professional treatment. But instead, we took the Flash to Monroe that
April. I guess I must have blacked-out, because the next thing I remember was
being at Fire in the Sky 2002 clutching a level 1 NCR Phantom. Before long, I
was hitting the harder stuff (level 2 rocket). By 2003, Ian and I had succumbed
to attending LDRS. Fortunately, my loving family has prevented me from going off
the deep end (level 3), or the really deep end (EX).
I now spend eight hours a day in rehab center in Seattle where I pass the time
trying to figure out how to build airplanes out of burnt string and goo
(composites). I am currently an Associate Technical Fellow Engineer, which, of
course, is just a euphemism for old engineer. I like to mention that I have 16
(or so) patents, but I change the subject quickly if anyone asks how may of
those patents are actually being used.
All in all, Ian and I have had a great time and met many great people while
incinerating BP and AP.
Paul Nelson
NAR #80957 Level 2
Low Explosives User Permit holder
Registered Professional Engineer
Ian A. Nelson
I couldn't get Ian to write anything about himself, so dad will have to do the bragging. The kid is smart. On the nationwide Stanford achievement test, administered while Ian was in fifth grade at Heritage Christian School, he scored 99.9 percentile (one out of one thousand or better) in half of the test categories. In thirteen out of fifteen categories, his grade equivalent score was post high school. (In the remaining categories, he scored 11th and 12th grade.)
Whew! I better learn to listen to him more!
