You’ve got a rich background, so let’s craft a concise but powerful narrative that signals depth without overwhelming. Here’s a balanced version:\r\n\r\nJames Thurman is the Founder and CEO of Portal Aircraft Company, a Texas-based aerospace startup developing turbine-powered VTOL aircraft for defense and commercial markets. A former Naval Aviator with combat flight experience and TLAM strike planning, James also holds over 1,500 hours as a commercial helicopter and airplane pilot and maintains FAA Light Sport Repairman certification.\r\n\r\nHe previously served as an Aerospace Engineering Professor at both the U.S. Naval Academy and the University of Texas at Arlington, and worked as a Systems Engineering Lead and Systems Architect at Lockheed Martin. Beyond aerospace, James is a successful vacation rental business owner and stock options trader, with hands-on experience owning and maintaining multiple aircraft.\r\n\r\nAt PAC, he leads the patented distributed turbine VTOL architecture, validated by his Army xTechSearch 9 win, DARPA Awardable status, and a Phase I SBIR contract, building rugged VTOL platforms for contested operations.