Forbes Christie is recognized as one of the leading body makers in the flute world. He began his flute making career at Brannen Brothers, where he learned the craft from Conrad Marvin, arguably the best flute maker in the world. After ten years at Brannen, working to a stringent standard of craftsmanship, he moved on to V. Q. Powell to head up their body department and train others to work to a similar standard. Forbes formed Windward Flutes as a repair, restoration and flute-making company, because he felt that a flute should be repaired to the same high standard as that with which it was made. He enjoys the small repairs, but particularly likes the challenge of correcting problems which others might consider “impossible to fix”. He has been dubbed “flute wizard” and “flute doctor” by colleagues in the industry. Forbes was born in Aberdeen, Scotland and grew up in the fishing community of Torry. This upbringing taught versatility, and a way of thinking whereby repair of everything was the standard. After moving to Perth, he joined the Royal Air Force, and trained in many technical skills, in high precision, close tolerance equipment. He studied to improve his understanding of the physics behind materials: metallurgy, cryogenic technology, adhesives, acoustics, solders, abrasives and other relevant subjects. In his youth he worked for the Perth Museum in Scotland making models and restoring museum artifacts. At present, Forbes builds wooden flutes, works on prototypes for his own traditional flutes and fifes, repairs flutes and restores antique instruments to a museum standard. From an early age Forbes was a toolmaker, always wondering how things work, and how they might work better. He learned the basics of turning from his uncle John Craig, a toolmaker for Rolls Royce. He spent time in the workshop of David Hodge, one of Britain’s great silversmiths, where he learned soldering, economy of motion, and humor. In flute making he is able to imagine and create new tools, jigs and devices, and thereby invent new methods of building instruments. His interest in materials and his constant search for new possibilities, enhance the process of making and repairing flutes. Fourteen years in the RAF provided a structure of technical and cultural education on a background of fieldwork and travel, offering life abroad in such places as Cyprus, Sardinia, Oman, the Maldives Islands and Sri Lanka. Forbes learned to appreciate other cultures, enjoying their food and music, exploring their crafts, tools and techniques, and photographing the people and the natural world in these places.