The Vision

F1 Engineering is a group of enginerds trying to make a difference in the world.

What is F1 Engineering?

Currently, it is an electrical engineer with a vision to help those in need, trying his best to provide power and water to revolutionize a country, and in doing so, give glory to the name of Jesus Christ.

My name is Travis Knipple. I am the founder and only full time staff of F1 Engineering.
God sent me to Haiti after the earthquake in January, 2010 for the vague purposes of “Go” and “Help,” but in the ensuing 2 years, he has given me a more clearly defined purpose. I’ll try to be brief, but here are the challenges God has laid before me:

Primary Goals of F1 Engineering:
-Continue to “put out fires” for organizations in the field.
I define “fires” as high-priority needs of missionaries in the field, which those in need are unable to address themselves. So far, this has included solar power installations for those without power, security upgrades for those in dangerous areas, and water system installations for those without water. Read through the project tab and you will get a great idea of what this goal includes.
This goal has been my focal point for the first 2 years of ministry. Now, however, I am hoping for this goal to become a lower priority through my second goal.
-Educate tradesmen.
My goal is to start hosting seminars to teach electricians, welders, plumbers, and other builders in better building practices. This will, in turn, lead to an apprenticeship program for further instruction of my students.
After they are adequately trained, I would like to send my students into the field, equipped with the proper tools and business cards to find their own work. To aid their search, I want to perform inspections on all their work. This should enable them to get more jobs with NGOs(non-government organizations) and missionaries, as well as earn a reputation that will help them to get jobs among other Haitians as well.
The best in each field would then be trained to become inspectors to create a sustainable hierarchy that is no longer dependent on foreign influence.
-Boost the Economy through Job Creation
My goal on this end is to create a factory that will manufacture and/or assemble electronics.
This aligns with my background in electronics troubleshooting, design, and testing.
Our first project will be to install junction boxes on incomplete solar panels, to be sold at cost to those in need, thus tying back to the first goal.
Our second project will be battery chargers and inverters to tie into these solar systems, potentially for low-income residential use by Haitians. This could provide lights in parts of Haiti that have never had the opportunity, and would be a low-capital, low-difficulty first project for our electronics facility.
This project is my highest priority in my mind, but will be the hardest to implement.
Its importance is in the fact that I see job creation as the key to improving the entire country. At the current rates, NGOs will never be able to keep up with the need for orphanages, medical clinics, low-cost schools, or feeding programs. Every day, more kids are being abandoned, or starving, because their unemployed parents cannot provide for them. Additionally, the community around them, while compassionate, cannot afford to take them in because taking in an additional child will cut into the already meager portions they can feed their own children every day or two.
-Boost the prospects of small business creation through infrastructure development
This is my fourth and final goal for the year. I have seen communities transformed by infrastructure development. In Les Cayes, a community water distribution system has allowed farmers to exceed their mere subsistence gardens and begin growing cash crops to sell to support their families. In Jacmel, I have seen a solar power system enable children to study well past 6pm when the sun goes down, even when the power company fails to provide power to the rest of the town.
Micro-loans are doing a magnificent job in facilitating entrepreneurship, but without solid infrastructure, many businesses struggle to succeed. I propose aiding these businesses by making sure they have the power and water necessary to continue their work properly.

So, those are my goals with F1 Engineering.
I would love some help. If you have any thoughts, please share them with me at tknipple@f1engineering.org.
If you need help, such as assistance with the power system at your ministry in Haiti, please email me, I would be glad to help you if the schedule allows.

To provide an idea of what will be happening in 2012 to this end, here are my primary projects on the docket for this year.
2012 Project Plans
(1) Establish a residence/workshop.
-I have been putting off the need for a while, but it is time to establish a residence somewhere in Haiti. Within this residence, I will have the ability to work on research and development for the solar panels and electronics for the factory, as well as host seminars. Additionally, I can use the space to pre-manufacture many of the materials for a solar or water installation prior to going to the jobsite to maximize efficiency.
-Also, I will have my own bed. I appreciate with all my heart the welcome and hospitality I have received all around Haiti as I have work with other organizations, but it would be sweet to have my own room again.
-How? I want to put up 2 shipping containers (40′ x 8′ or so I think), parallel, with a 15′ gap between to allow me to park my truck. Then I will put up a gate enclosing the driveway corridor. That leaves me with a secure parking spot, 1 container to live in, and 1 container to work in. Eventually, I will cut doors and windows, and add a tin roof. Then I will make other improvements as finances allow.
(2) Start Education Seminars
-Whether I have a house or not, this has to be a high priority. I can teach a lot while on the field, but I need to sit down in a classroom setting to establish my building codes with the workers and make sure they know what I expect and why.
(3) Start a Depot to provide tools and materials to the newly educated workers and organizations
-Some materials I want my tradesmen to use are not available in Haiti. Fluxcore welding wire, wire nuts, solar panels, and other items are commonly needed and unavailable. I want to make them available at the same cost as shipping them in, but keep enough in stock that I can stay ahead of the game.
(4) Continue to lead worship at Church on the Beach in Jacmel. This has been a great thing for me spiritually, and I think it is great for all the missionaries that have been attending, so I will keep it up.

Now, to answer some common questions:
(Q) Does F1 charge for its services?
(A) No, all my work is volunteer. I do ask the organizations that receive aid to attempt to cover materials costs, however, I will never withhold materials from someone in need if I have them available, even if they cannot afford them. The only time I will ask for money for labor is to pay any Haitians that work with me, so they can support their families even while learning their trade.

(Q) How do you get money then?
(A) God Provides. Don’t quite know how. I don’t fund raise, and I don’t actively seek support. God has raised up some passionate people to support me, some monthly, mostly just with one-time gifts. I don’t know where the money comes from, as Dad handles the accounting, and typically I don’t even know how much is available unless I have to make a big purchase, I just know that God has kept enough coming in to keep F1 Engineering moving forward.

(Q) Why?
(A) Because God brought me here and showed me a need.

F1 Engineering
c/o Crucified Ministries
218 Maple Ave.
Johnstown, PA 15901