kennedy space center

Inside Skylink with Bashaar Zainal

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Where are you from?

I was born in Miami and raised in Tampa my entire childhood. My mother comes from a spanish background from Ecuador and my father is from Kuwait City, Kuwait. I currently reside in Orlando, FL. Can’t seem to leave the state. I think the sunny weather is addicting.

What brought you to Skylink?

Skylink was an easy choice for me because they deal with the aviation business, something that I am incredibly fond of. They also have worked with my previous institution, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical. It was a great fit for me as I naturally gravitated towards this company and I couldn’t be happier. They have welcomed me with open arms in their family owned business that has been running strong for the past twenty five years.

What do you love about aviation?

I love aviation as a whole because I grew up with it. I use to travel as a child back and forth across the world to see family in South America and the Middle East. I have been through more terminals than I can count. It has a nostalgic grasp on me that I can’t shake. I use to press my face and hands on the terminal windows to get a closer look as planes took off in the night sky. Some kids grow up with dinosaurs, cars or legos. I grew up with Aviation.

Who is your hero? Why?1919030_351539712390_2629552_n

This might sound a bit geeky, but my hero is The Incredible Hulk. He does things that I wish I could do sometimes. Smash things when he's angry, be a green monster (green is my favorite color by the way), and jump 3 metric miles with a single leap. There is no such thing as gas expenses for The Hulk, but I’m sure he makes up for it buying multiple pairs of purple shorts.

What is your favorite book?

Not too sure if this would really count, but I am more into comics. I am still a kid at heart so I love the action and illustrations that a comic book can depict. Don’t get me wrong, I still love a good book. The most recent book I read through was Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park. With the new Jurassic World adaptation coming out in the next couple weeks, I want to make sure I get the full story of why dinosaurs think humans are a good meal.

What inspires you?

Inspiration is more of a when than a what. I believe that certain events in my life inspire me to do things and come up with great ideas. But what really inspires me is the stars and our universe in the sky. Billions of stars with another billion of galaxies to show for it. It really makes me think of what possibilities there are in the sky as well as for me.

 

3 Random Factoids

What’s your favorite drink currently in your fridge?

Lindemans Raspberry Framboise

What’s a tool or trick you use to make life easier?

One of the best tricks I have learned is how to prevent tearing up when cutting up an onion. If you lay a piece of bread next to the onion while slicing and dicing, the bread will absorb the aroma and take the hit so you are free of waterworks.

If you were a superhero, what would be your name and superpower?

Being a superhero comes with some major responsibilities. But if I had a shot of being a superhero, I would like to be named Super Dj. Dj has been my nickname since a kid. It was the easiest solution since not everyone had the gift of saying my name right. And being in the aviation business, my super power would be flight. Who would't like to fly?