Growing up an "Air Force" brat, my earliest dream was to become a pilot. As a result of my father's work, I had access to many hangars on the bases we were stationed at. I began collecting badges from pilots, their flight uniform designation symbols. I studied every branch of the military's aircraft from WWII and on. I built models of them, drew them, watched every movie I could find about them. I went to museums and spent hours looking at them and imagining what it would be like to fly in them.

Flight has always been my fascination, but I didn't become a pilot. Instead I joined the US Navy and would become a Search & Rescue Swimmer. But I never lost my passion or fascination for flight.

As a surfer, I love the feeling of the flow of water over the board I'm on, I love duck-diving a wave, and I love the sensation of the water rushing over me. But throughout the course of riding a wave, it is the sensation of "flying" over and through water that I enjoy the most.

One of the most prolific aircraft ever flown is the SR-71 Blackbird. One of the most prolific songs ever written is "Blackbird Signing in the Dead of Night" by Paul McCartney. One of the most meaningful stories in my life is the of Elijah being fed by ravens, a blackbird.

Everything happens in 3's...this is where the inspiration of the name for my boards come from: Blackbird - Flight/Song/Story.

My incentive to start shaping was making boards and have a job!

All my boards are 100% hand shaped

No