A graduate of the Museum School of Fine Arts, Tufts University, with a BFA degree in commercial and advertising design, Peter DeSilva’s creative, design and fabrication skills have led to success in many fields, most notably in the motion picture industry. He headed Performance Design, a private company specializing in special effects and props. Now semi-retired, he still heads a small business, MG Aviation, supplying transmissions and gear sets for the MD 500 helicopter. Born in Long Beach, Mr. DeSilva’s interest in aviation began through his father, a WWII fighter pilot. He has raced bicycles, boats, cars, motorcycles, off-road buggies, ATVs, snowmobiles and trucks in such events as the Baja 500 and Mint 400, and has an extensive collection of boats, cars, motorcycles, trucks, as well as a Monk biplane airframe.