More about Ken 

The scoop on Ken according to his wife:

Ken was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan almost forty years ago, but has lived in Texas since he was a baby. He grew up in Richardson, Texas and attended L.V. Berkner High School where we met and became sweethearts. Ken has two sisters--Shanlynn lives in San Jose studying film production and Leslie is a doctor living in Kansas City, Missouri.

I hope to include geneologicial information about Ken's family as a link to this page soon, but for now I can only provide some basic background on the CRAM side of his family--his father's mother side. I hope to at least have some basic information about the Skinner side soon. I have a little now but I need more information before I put a link here.

Ken is an airline pilot and likes to keep busy in his spare time and is really great in the home and car improvement and repair department. He spends lots of time with the kids and likes to challenge himself with killer workouts at the gym, long grueling bike rides and his two project cars: a 1972 Corvette and 1965 "chop top" VW Bug.

Ken went to flight school and earned his Airframe and Powerplant certificates at the Texas State Technical College in Waco, TX. Since then he has passionately pursued his dream to be an international airline pilot. Along the way he has worked as a flight instructor, A&P mechanic, night freight pilot and for several regional airlines. He eventually worked his way up to Chief Operating Officer for a Texas regional airline, but missed flying too much and went back to flying a plane instead of a desk. His stress level is much lower now!
 

   There has been much discussion about the salary of a pilot.  Indeed, many of my friends thought that we are rich because my husband is a pilot. (hah!) The fact is that it's a hard business to break into and when you first start out with an airline, the pay is terrible.  (And believe me, a LOT has to happen before you ever get that airline job!)  Ken could have pursued a different career and he would be bringing home more money than he is now, but he's flying because it's what he was born to do but it hasn't been easy.  He and our family has had to make sacrifices from the very beginning and we all still do.  We are not rich.  We barely make it from month to month.  There is only his income as his schedule doesn't allow for me to work unless strangers take care of our kids.  He can't make one mistake at his job or he's fired.  Any health problems and his career is over.  He has missed birthdays and holidays to get YOU to your business meeting or vacation safely.  Please read a message from a fellow pilot in response to management asking for pay concessions from the pilot group during contract negoations.

(I hate having to pick favorites. There are too many wonderful things to narrow any one down to a favorite. I'll try, but these may just be a reflection of today's mood. )

Favorite Foods: This is a tough one for me. I like lots of foods, but at the top is anything my bride makes; followed by Japanese Food (especially when Rina prepares it), Mexican Food, vegetables, and juicy Texas grapefruit (especially when Rina peels them for me).

Favorite TV Shows: When I'm traveling, I'm happy with just about anything in English that's not CNN. At home I enjoy "Seinfeld" and "Unhappily Married Everafter." I'm really not much of a TV watcher.

Favorite Movies: Without a doubt it's "The Mother Lode." There are great flying scenes and it's my idea of the perfect adventure. "Airplane" & "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" rank pretty high on the laugh scale.

Favorite Books: Well....lately I have been an avid reader.  I usually only read about one book a year, but this year I have read quite a bit.  I have been reading "The Corps" series by W.E.B. Griffin and have read all eight.  (The series is not finished yet, though.). I usually prefer trade periodicals and technical stuff. I really can't say I have a favorite book but I do have a few favorite authors: W.E.B. Griffin, Richard Bach, Jimmy Buffett (yup...he writes books too) and Eric Van Lustbader.

Favorite Music: Most anything from the '60's - '80's. (But  Disco still sucks) I have a pretty broad taste in music. Like my bride, if I had to pick an all-time favorite band it would have to be Led Zeppelin, and, I too wouldn't want to listen to them all the time. I also like country/southern rock ('70's - '90's), WWII-era music (I like the big band sound). Unlike my bride, I find lots of jazz music seductive and relaxing. While at the gym or riding my bike I never get tired of Pat Travers, Ted Nugent or Def Leppard.