Robbie Kraike

Current Residence:

Alton, Hampshire (on occasions)

DoB:

11th January 1965

Place of birth:

London

Marital Status:

Married to Suzy

Career:

I served in the Navy for 18 years, starting as an apprentice and becoming a Royal Naval Artificer (Marine Engineering Artificer) up to to rank of Chief Petty Officer. I have service on conventional ships and for the last 2 years nuclear submarines.

How did you get involved in the project?

In 1995 we saw ThrustSSC at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and became Mach 1 Club members. When I thought I was going to be made redundant in early 1996, I sent my CV to Robin Richardson and asked him to pass it on to Richard Noble. Richard didn't get it at first so I tried, unsuccessfully, to approach him directly. At the 1996 Goodwood Festival of Speed I made one last attempt to talk to Richard, despite our plans to travel around the world in our Land Rover. Jerry Bliss phoned the following Tuesday and a week later I was working on the project.

Responsibilities in the UK:

I am a workshop technician. During the build programme I have been involved in the cockpit build, brakes and throttle.

Responsibilities in Jordan:

I was in a turnaround team and responsible for the parachutes.

Responsibilities in the US:

I am still responsible for the parachutes and I'm part of one of the start/recovery teams.

Previous crazy ventures:

We built a Caterham Super 7 in 2 weeks and I used to race a BMW 2002 in the Autograss series. I've windsurfed from the Isle of Wight back to the mainland, ridden a mountain bike up a mountain and had a close encounter with an electrified wire fence!

Car:

Land Rover, Caterham Super 7, Vauxhall Nova.

Favourite Music:

Everything

What sort of books would you read if you had the time?

The Parachute Manual

Hobbies:

Trying to kill myself on expensive equipment on all surfaces.

What do you want to do when the project is over?

Go travelling round the world in a Land Rover.

What have you learned from this experience?

"It's nice to be part of something which is at the frontier at something." (Yes, I actually said this on TV!!)