At 21 years of age, Andrew currently attends Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida as an air traffic management major with a minor in flight, meteorology, and business. Andrew was born in "The Rising Star" of one of the original thirteen colonies, although raised in the great city of Chicago (Indian for Stinky Onions).

He currently holds his private pilot certificate and is working on getting around to finishing up training for his single instrument rating (just a bit lazy sometimes). His aspirations are to become a controller and professional pilot one day, although he is currently leaning more towards controlling as it is seems to be his true passion (he likes telling pilots what to do more - its a fetish =-P).

Andrew works as a flight dispatcher and air traffic lab assistant at school and assists his roommates with a landscaping business (Leafy Landscapes - leafing you satisfied! - yes, that is the slogan =-\) out of Port Orange, FL and plans to embark on many other entrepreneurial business ventures in the future with them. Andrew has been a pilot on VATSIM since the summer of '02 and a controller since the summer of '05. He owes a lot to the VATSIM network as it has sincerely helped point him in the direction he wants to go in life.

Seeking a change of pace from life in the "Windy City", Andrew decided to move out west with hopes to find a new frontier in life, but instead stumbled across an unusual Filipino with an americanized accent and an Irish redhead transportation genius passionately discussing airplanes, air traffic control, and dreaded "newbie pilots" while wondering the terminals of LAX. Andrew quickly identified with these interests (and loathes) from Chicago and became introduced to these individuals - one named after some funky hair design studio, "Tom Jim" Solon, and, the other, "The One and Only" (one and only what?) Nicholas William Reed.

Before Andrew knew it, he was up in the tower observing the chaos and madness, while fetching coffee (and tea for Tom) while they worked traffic. Suddenly, without warning, Shawn Goldsworthy (SX) came rushing into the tower with basic ZLA exams in hand and somehow, with all of the confusion and chaos, Andrew became mixed in with the observing group of "new ATC hires". Andrew was handed a basic exam and managed to somehow pass and was quickly assigned operating initials "AJ" and told to report to work immediately for training.

Having realized he had long missed his flight to Honolulu by now and not having the funds to return to Chicago (and after some discussion and apologies from the staff), Andrew was granted "visitor" status in all fairness to the mistake, where he decided to drop anchor at ZLA and see where this wacky crew would take him on his quest for a new challenge in life!

If you have any questions - feel free to contact Andrew via email at doubl609(at)erau.edu or via MSN at freedom91686(at)yahoo.com