Meet Chris Ginzton, Electrical Systems Engineer at Tamarack Aerospace. Our team has many talented engineers, and Chris is one of them. He’s been a part of the Tamarack team for two years now and has already proven he’s an incredible asset to the Tamarack team.
Chris studied applied physics at the University of Utah and spent his career working in the medical device field developing technology and products for CT scanners. “If you’re ever unlucky enough to need a CT scan, it is quite possibly my X-ray tube that was spinning around you, creating that three-dimensional image.” Although only working in aerospace for a few years, the similarities between medical devices and aerospace technology are obvious. The most important part of designing and creating medical devices is that they are safe and reliable, and the same goes for aerospace developments. “My experience and skills developing electronics and embedded systems translated almost seamlessly to this field,” he says.
A typical day in Chris' position is varied, and typically involves design work, being hands-on, and working on the planes when they come in. “My main project is adapting current products to next-gen aircraft. It’s been exciting to take a product that’s been tried and true, and make improvements," he says.
His advice for someone just starting out in the aerospace industry: “Don’t be afraid to ask for help...you can get a lot done on your own,” Chris says, “but however good you think your solution is, it can always be improved with a little feedback.” According to Chris, being open to criticism and listening to other team members is imperative. “You can always get to 80% on your own, and it will likely be good enough, but your work will always be better if you can be humble enough to accept feedback.”
Since Chris joined the team in 2020, Tamarack has grown immensely. At the time, there was only one series of products for the CitationJets, and today Tamarack is close to releasing SMARTWING™ technology for the King Air series. “It’s really exciting to release these new products and see where the future will take us.” He says, “It’s the perfect size company, where we all have to work really hard to be successful and trust those around you. Everyone’s on a first-name basis and we wear lots of hats and work hard to accomplish goals."
Working on planes and engineering designs is best complemented by spending time outdoors, and North Idaho is perfectly suited for that. When outside of work, Chris is an avid outdoorsman. “Being outside, mountain biking, white water kayaking, motorcycling…North Idaho is a pretty spectacular place to explore,” he says. What really inspires Chris however, is a challenge. “I like things that take effort and perseverance, things that make you have to work to the answer, and engineering has lots of those.” So does kayaking. Chris recently kayaked the Selway River, an area that only has access via whitewater and, due to its protected status and remote location, is extremely exclusive. “Whether pushing myself to be a better person, kayaker, or engineer, I like to improve and grow, and that’s what inspires me.” Looking ahead, Chris sees an exciting future for aerospace, and for Tamarack, Chris will certainly play a key role.
