Hi, I’m Alex, originally from Northumberland in the northeast of England. Since 2007, I’ve made my home in the beautiful landscapes of New Zealand. Ever since I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a pilot, and I’m fortunate to have realised this dream. Alongside my passion for aviation, I’ve always been fascinated by the inner workings of everything around us—whether it’s the science of electricity, the mechanics of an aircraft, or the complexities of space travel.
Before moving to New Zealand, I earned a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. To save up the money for flying, I worked briefly at Apple and Sage UK in technical support roles. These experiences taught me invaluable skills, from dealing with people to mastering the nuances of bookkeeping.
My journey in aviation took off with the Wakatipu Aero Club in Queenstown, where I earned my commercial pilot’s license. After flying commercially in the area, I completed an instructor rating and spent several years teaching others to fly, especially around the challenging mountain terrain. I then worked for Nzone, the local skydiving operator, before moving to my current role at Air Milford.
I’ve always had a love for reading and creative writing. As a child, I told my parents that after retiring from the RAF (yes, I once dreamed of being a fighter pilot), I would become an author. My Substack is a place to blend my passion for aviation with my curiosity about how things work, and to share my opinions and knowledge on various topics, including aerospace, engineering, science, and technology.
Currently, my blog “From a Certain Point of View” serves as a platform for my musings and opinions, while “Orphans of Apollo” is my first foray into novel writing. I’m in the process of editing the first draft and will be serialising the novel on Substack, launching on July 20, 2024—the 55th anniversary of the first moon landing. I hope you’ll join me on this journey, explore the fascinating world of “Orphans of Apollo,” and perhaps learn something new along the way.
I hope you find something useful and enjoyable here.
Alex
Orphans of Apollo
“Earth is the cradle of humanity, but one cannot live in a cradle forever.”
Konstantin Tsiolkovsky
“Exploration is in our nature. We began as wanderers, and we are wanderers still. We have lingered long enough on the shores of the cosmic ocean. We are ready at last to set sail for the stars.”
“The sky calls to us. If we do not destroy ourselves, we will one day venture to the stars.”
Carl Sagan
Life evolved on the Earth some four billion years ago, and as far as we can tell, there has been only one genesis in the universe. This does not mean the universe is devoid of other life; it is possible it could be teeming with other species just waiting for us to make contact with them. Whether humanity is unique or whether it is one of many civilizations spread throughout the universe, it is worth protecting. Since life evolved on the Earth, there have been five mass extinction events. It is a certainty there will be another. Humanity is simultaneously the first species with the capacity to journey beyond the Earth, and at the same time, destroy all life on the Earth.
In the middle of the last century, we took our first tentative steps out beyond the atmosphere and then on to the Moon. There we faltered and have yet to return. Only now, over fifty years later, are we are starting to see this lack of progress begin to turn around. But what happened to those visions of the future from the 1960s? Generations were left orphaned by progress that ground to a halt, the future which was promised and never came to fruition.
“Orphans of Apollo” is an alternative history/science fiction story of those who fought to regain that future.
The first episode will touch down on July 20th 2024. Subscribe for weekly instalments. Paid subscribers will receive additional behind-the-scenes posts along with other bonus content.
I hope you enjoy the journey.
From a Certain Point of View
The title of this blog was inspired by one of my favourite movie quotes:
“Luke, you’re going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi, ‘Star Wars: Return Of the Jedi’
You don’t have to be a ‘Star Wars’ fan, or even have seen any of the movies to understand what this is getting at. Luke Skywalker is coming to terms with the realisation that Darth Vader is indeed his father. When Obi-Wan appears, Luke is angry he was not told the truth when he first asked what happened to his father. He was told his father was betrayed and murdered by Vader. Obi-Wan goes on to explain that when his father Anakin was seduced by evil and became Darth Vader, the good man was destroyed. So what he told Luke was true “from a certain point of view”.
The first times I watched this movie at a young age, the implications of this concept were lost on me. It was not until I got older I understood the nuances of what was being said. I remember when it dawned on me, it was kind of a profound moment, and a lesson I have always tried to take with me.
This is a concept which surrounds us all the time. I was taught at school from a young age by my science teachers that light is a wave. It was not until I reached high school I learned it could be a wave or a particle, depending on your point of view. Politically, one must also keenly be aware that one person’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter.
What I write about here will be whatever interests me at the time. My viewpoint may or may not be in alignment with yours, but that’s the point. It is important to try to see things from other perspectives, even if you do not agree with them.
I hope you find it engaging and thought provoking.
