Just a quick note to say hi and introduce myself to those I haven’t met yet at the field yet. I’m John Casilio. I’m new to the club last year, having found myself recently stationed by the Navy in San Diego with my wife Sarah, my daughter Evelyn, and my son Davis. I work at the Old Town campus for an acquisition program office as a project officer supporting ocean engineering efforts for the Navy. I’m a Civil Engineer Corps Officer (think Seabees), a hard hat Navy Diver, and a licensed Professional Engineer. I grew up doing concrete construction with my family on the east coast and went to college for both Aerospace and Ocean engineering.
You’ll find Davis and I at the field as often as we can be trying to get flights in, enjoying the weather and improve our skills. I’ve been interested in aviation, modeling, model rocketry and RC flying as long as I can remember, but this is the most focused I’ve been on RC flight in the last few decades. My grandfather was a WW2 Navy patrol squadron pilot and we’d spend a lot of weekends at a local rural field watching planes fly and occasionally talking or paying our way to a ride in a glider, Stearman or WACO to keep my interest piqued. The flying bug never left me. I’ve got about 250 logged parachute free fall jumps and about 50 hrs in a single engine plane up through day solo endorsements from 20 years ago [thanks Uncle Sam]! I never got the chance to fly for the Navy before they medically DQ’d me and eventually made me a diver/Engineer but I’ll eventually get back in the full-scale cockpit. For now I am getting my fill trying not to crash too many more foamies or 3d printed planes.
When I’m not working or model flying I enjoy sailing, hiking/camping, 3d printing and electronics tinkering, amateur radio, working on my jeep and the occasional mediocre bourbon. Current side project is: working on converting an Aeroscout into a long range/autonomous FPV platform with a radio repeater onboard and hope to range test it out in the desert sometime in the spring.
If you see me at the field feel free to say hi! I’ll certainly endeavor to do the same – though I’ll admit – I’m terrible at remembering names [please don’t take offense]. I’ve appreciated the camaraderie of the group at the field, the vast spectrum of interests and talents of the flyers and the relaxed but focused vibe of the club and the members.
I volunteered for the board member at large slot to pay a little back and forward as I really appreciate the opportunity the club gives me to spend time outside in the beautiful weather with my son (and my wife and daughter on more rare occasions)!
We’re having a blast and look forward to anything I can do to ensure others do as well. See you out there.
–John
