Avion Issue 9 Fall 2017

| Issue 9 | Volume 148 | Tuesday, November 14, 2017 | theavion.com |

A Student hard at work on his HackRiddle Project

Vipul Telang/The Avion Newspaper

Printf(“What the Hack is HackRiddle, Anyway?”); The Third Annual Major League Hackathon at Embry-Riddle

Collin Anderson News Editor

What’s Inside

Embry-Riddle’s third annual, 24-hour hackathon, HackRiddle, was full of food, fun, and unfamiliar faces.

On Nov. 11, people from not just all over the state, but all over the nation, flooded the Willie Miller Instructional Center to compete in the coding competition. Students from many states were in attendance including participants from Florida, California, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Illinois.

Not only was there diversity in people, but there was diversity in coding languages as well. These ranged from C, C++, JavaScript, Python, and more.

The competition is conducted in teams.

The teams have the liberty of coming up with a unique solution to a problem of their choice.

The guidelines for the contest are simple: there are none. Teams must, however, make sure that their project involves coding in some way. Despite all the teams working for 24 hours, there are breaks for food and games.

Throughout the night, people were eating burritos and granola bars. In the early part of the evening, people gathered in the auditorium for cup stacking game and t-shirt giveaways. After these events, the groups did not dither in getting back to work.

Bridget Woodye and Matt Inkeles are two computer science sophomores from the University of Central Florida. They were using a Leap Motion controller to develop a

Catch up on the COAS and COE Forums

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software similar to speech-to-text. The only caveat was that a person would use sign language and the program would translate signs into readable text. Woodye's first hackathon was KnightHacks at UCF two months before HackRiddle. As for Inkeles, HackRiddle was his first hackathon. Embry-Riddle student Andrew Matievski's team was developing a way to integrate augmented reality into air traffic control. The group was trying to incorporate Microsoft's HoloLens in tracking airplanes inflight and on the taxiway in real time; a similar idea to what Flightradar 24 offers currently.

The competition has been steadily growing in popularity since its inception in 2015.

HackRiddle is organized by the student organization, Tech Eagles, and is co-sponsored by Lockheed Martin and Rockwell Collins. In its first year, HackRiddle was contained within the Lehman Building atrium with only about 30 students attending. Last year, that turnout increased by a little over 400-percent with 165 people in attendance.

The increased participation allowed HackRiddle to upgrade the venue to the IC Building, where competitors were given free rein over all the classrooms on both floors as well as the auditorium. The turnout for this year dropped slightly to 130. That drop is, in part, because the original date of the hackathon was slated for Nov. 4, which became a hurricane makeup day. Next year, the organizers are looking to bigger and better things, hoping to host HackRiddle 2018 in the new, and

much anticipated, Student Union.

Mellon. Mahoney explained that MLH, and Despite the name, the event is not only the hacking world in general, is growing at a for those in the software field. "HackRiddle significant rate with MLH doubling the numis for everyone," says Jeremiah Lantzer, one ber of events from last year to 300 events this of the event organizers. "I think hackathons, year. She added that MLH was hosting 13 and Major League Hacking in general, have events this past weekend around the globe. done a really good job of including everyLike any large event, there were some one and making sure, whether you are with- minor hiccups. However, this crowd is in the tech world or whether you're outside looking forward to finding the errors the tech world, everybody feels very wel- and debugging for next year. come and they can feel that they're in a space where they can learn rather than feel that they have to be the best of the best." The inclusiveness spread beyond the IC Building when the organizers donated the extra Chick-fil-A sandwiches and Moe's burritos to the local homeless shelter.

HackRiddle is one of many hackathons that is supported by Major League Hacking (MLH). One out of 37 MLH coaches is at each hackathon.

Kelly Mahoney was the MLH coach at this year's HackRiddle. MLH provides thousands of dollars in hardware to the competition, as well as signage, stickers, t-shirts, and a multitude of other things. MLH Shashwat Acharya/The Avion Newspaper also matches students looking for jobs with companies like A HackRiddle competitor bursts through his winning cup tower after Qualcomm, Carfax, and BNY winning the cup stacking competition.

Phillies Pitcher dies in Icon A5 crash

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Executive Board Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Business Manager Photography Editor Advertising Manager

Henry Neiberlien Andrew Bronshteyn Collin Anderson Sariah Adviento Vipul Telang Payton Muglia

Page Editors Front Editor Campus Editor SGA Editor Opinion/Feature Editor Feature Editor Sports Editor Aviation Editor Space Editors Motorsports Editor Entertainment Editor Comics Editor Additional Help

Collin Anderson K’Andrew France-Beckford Vipul Telang Zachary Fedewa Joshua Rosado Victoria Jordan Nick Hernandez Levi Duncan & Brandon Collins Rajan Khanna Samantha Stirmel Sariah Adviento Jaclyn Wiley & Mike Shekari

Staff Contributors Reporters Abigail Johnson Samantha Stirmel Mike Shekari Victoria Jordan Michael Weinhoffer Rajan Khanna

Photographers Zachary Fedewa Vipul Telang Rajan Khanna Saktiswaran Jeyaganesh

Correspondents Shashwat Acharya, Christopher Weil

Staff Advisor Ginny-Beth Joiner, Avion Advisor

Contact Information Main Phone: (386) 226-6049 Ad Manager: (386) 226-7697 Fax Number: (386) 226-6016 Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Business Manager Photography Editor Advertising Manager

editor@theavion.com managing@theavion.com news@theavion.com business@theavion.com photo@theavion.com advertising@theavion.com

Website: theavion.com

The Avion is produced weekly during the fall and spring term, and bi-weekly during summer terms. The Avion is produced by a volunteer student staff. Student editors make all content, business and editorial decisions. The editorial opinions expressed in The Avion are solely the opinion of the undersigned writer(s), and not those of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the Student Government Association, The Avion, or the student body. Letters appearing in The Avion are those of the writer, identified at the end of the letter. Opinions expressed in the “Student Government” and “Student Life” sections are those of the identified writer. Letters may be submitted to The Avion for publication, provided they are not lewd, obscene or libelous. Letter writers must confine themselves to less than 800 words. Letters may be edited for brevity and formatted to newspaper guidelines. All letters must be signed. Names may be withheld at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief.

The Avion is an open forum for student expression. The Avion is a division of the Student Government Association. The Avion is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press. The costs of this publication are paid by the Student Government Association and through advertising fees.

The Avion distributes one free copy per person. Additional copies are $0.75. Theft of newspapers is a crime, and is subject to prosecution and Embry-Riddle judicial action. This newspaper and its contents are protected by United States copyright law. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, in print or electronically, without the expressed written consent of The Avion. Correspondence may be addressed to: The Avion Newspaper, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 600 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach, Florida 32114. Physical office: John Paul Riddle Student Center, Room 110. Phone: (386) 226-6049. Fax: (386) 226-6727.

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Rocket Power or Girl Power?

Encouraging Young Girls to Pursue STEM Fields Abigail Johnson Staff Reporter On November 10th, my fellow female members of ERFSEDS (the Embry Riddle Future Space Explorers and Developers Society) and I found a way to give back to the community around Embry-Riddle. At an elementary school nearby, female members of ERFSEDS had the chance to talk and teach a class of 1st-grade girls who were curious about rockets.

Doing what members of the club do best, we opened some kits and

showed the girls how to build some simple model rockets. This opportunity, dubbed the “Girl’s Only” gathering, was in response to a lack of female involvement in STEM educational programs. This class of girls was curious about science and math and were interested in the rocket assembly process. Each girl was told to dress as a superhero for this event or something that they wanted to be one day. “I want my girls to believe they can do anything,” their teacher explained to us.

As most of us know,

rocket science is tough and is generally not a female populated career field. Though it is growing, it still is important to encourage the involvement of girls in the STEM community. Reaching out to young girls starting their education is a solution to changing the male to female ratio, as well as informing the public about modern sciences.

"These young girls are so impressionable - I truly think they'll remember this night for the rest of their lives,” says Engineering Physics junior Sophia Zaccarine. “When

they first walked into the room, a lot of them said they didn't know a lot about rockets and space.

By the time they left after launching 7 model rocket kits, they were saying terms like "nosecone, fins" and "propellant." It just goes to show anyone can learn anything when you give them a chance!"

Seeing the smiles of the girls as the rockets went off definitely was something the members of ERFSEDS won’t forget, and the club looks forward to teaching the world more about rocketry here at Embry-Riddle.

Ignite Abroad: Iceland Wesley Lewis Office of Research For the past three years, Daytona Beach’s Office of Undergraduate Research has collaborated with Worldwide to take a group of students on a short-term research abroad trip to different parts of the globe including Cuba, Brazil, and Singapore. This year, we are excited to announce Ignite Abroad will be going the land of fire and ice: Iceland.

Students who attend the trip March 9-16, 2018 will have the opportunity to conduct their own research while visiting sites such as Lake Myvatn,

Geysir Geothermal Area, geothermal farm and Hofsos. Students will be exposed to Icelandic history and culture by guided tours and interactions with Icelanders such as the leading expert on elves folklore.

Furthermore, students will see Iceland's natural beauty by walking on Solheimajokull glacier, Gullfoss Waterfall and taking a dip in a natural hot spring pool. During a visit to the UNESCO world heritage site Thingvellir, students will get to visit Iceland’s first parliament in 930 A.D. (the world's oldest) and experience Iceland’s oldest geyser, Strokkur.

Before leaving, students will have pre-w orkshops before the trip in developing a research question, lit review and methodology for collecting data while on the trip. As a condition of the scholarship, once students return from the trip, they will be expected to analyze the data and complete a scholarly paper for presentation at Discovery Day. The trip is open to ten Daytona Beach students who must apply for the trip through the Office of Global Engagement.

Students who are accepted will receive a $1,500 grant to supplement the cost of the trip, which will

bring the total cost of the trip to $2,500 for lodging, airfare (from/to Orlando, FL), transportation, travel insurance, entrance/ exit fees, and most meals.

Applications for the trip are due by Nov. 22, 2017, and are available through the Office of Global Engagement.

Wes Lewis, the Associate Director for the Office of Undergraduate Research, and Dr. Kelly George, Director of Accreditation, Assessment, and Research for Ignite, will lead the trip to Iceland.

For more information, call 386226-6215, or email Wesley.Lewis@erau.edu.

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SGA Hosts COAS, COE Forums

COE Student Forum This semester’s College of Engineering Forum was a trip to Hawaii! Students walking into the Lehman building were greeted by getting ’lei-ed’ to keep with the theme. The atrium was also decked out in Hawaiian décor and games like limbo and a bean bag toss were provided by the Student Government Association’s Representative Board for students to play.

Representatives from the College of Engineering were in attendance to talk with students about their classes and ask them to write suggestions on a giant notepad.

The best ideas were entered into a drawing for gift cards.

The event was sponsored by the Student Government Association’s Student Representatives Board, which holds semesterly forums for each college to allow students an opportunity to voice their grievances and ideas. The representatives use the information given by students to provide insights to university faculty, staff, and board of trustee members about areas that may need change for the betterment of the university and improvement of student quality of life.

There was also an allyou-can-eat buffet provided by Sodexo with plenty of themed food like flavored

meatballs, pork loin, and Hawaiian rice pilaf. For dessert, there was a pineapple upside down cake, which was a major hit and the first thing gone out of all of the food. Additionally, there was a table next to the buffet where students could try a Virtual Reality experience with various games.

Overall, the forum seemed to be a success. Students enjoyed good food with the opportunity to hang out with their friends and work to make the college better.

COAS Student Forum The the College of Arts and Sciences Forum as well as the meal afterward was very smooth and well put together. Students arrived and walked directly into one of the classrooms where they were greeted by a panel that included the COAS Dean, Karen Gains. The COAS forum was designed to discuss various topics around the college and the effectiveness of the classes in addition to making sure students are on the same page about different issues.

One of the first items talked about was Humanities classes. There was a discussion between the panel and several students that were irritated by the lack of diversity in Humanities classes and questioned why they were necessary. Dean Gains explained that Humanities classes are required by the college for accreditation pur-

poses regardless of whether or not a student is studying a major that involves the Humanities. The discussion also mentioned that some students were frustrated with their Humanities classes because the classes seemed more lecture-based than discussion-based. This seemed to worry Dean Gains, as she explained that all Humanities classes are meant to be more discussion than anything else.

She vowed that she would look into the courses closer and ensure that they are taught as intended.

Another focus was on language classes offered at Embry-Riddle. Currently, some of the courses offered are taught through “telepresence” with Daytona State College, meaning that because the

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The COAS forum was designed to discuss various topics around the college and the effectiveness of the classes in addition to making sure students are on the same page about different issues.

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Samantha Stirmel Staff Reporter

university does not have the faculty in-house to teach the languages, they Skypein on classes with another institution. The desire for having more foreign language classes offered increases every year, and the dean

Samantha Stirmel/The Avion Newspaper

Organized By

A student enjoys some pineapple upside-down cake distributed by Sodexo Catering at the COE Forum.

College of Arts and Sciences Representative Jennnifer Perskin

Samantha Stirmel/The Avion Newspaper A student writes a suggestion for the College of Engineering Forum as Student Representative Faith Torcuator looks on. The SGA reviewed and offered prizes for the best student suggestions for improvements to campus life.

talked about trying to create more programs, including Russian and Chinese, which will allow students to take them as a minor.

While on the topic of adding more programs, music was brought up. Much of the population in the room raised their hands when asked if they have done anything with music and maybe would like to continue to pursue music. Dean Gains seemed pleased with the response and talked about in the future possibility of opening more music-centered classes and having practice rooms on campus to facilitate the study of music.

Diversity was also a big player in the discussions during the forum and ranged from having more African-American teachers on campus to trying to increase the female population. However, many students in the room seemed to argue that this university is incredibly diverse in the student population and that the classes are catering to the students. Increasing the female population on campus was talked about earlier by offering more courses and programs that are typically dominated by women.

The dean informed students in the room that she and her staff have been trying to look for a more diverse set of teachers to be on campus, but the process takes a long time to seek those individuals out. The dean was

College of Engineering Representative

David Lim

happy to inform that two of the newest faculty hires for the 2017 Fall Semester were African-Americans, proving that the efforts are there and that students should be expecting more diverse university in the future.

Two students in response to the topic pitched the idea of having culture classes available from the college so that more students could understand the cultures that they see represented on campus every day.

The newest entrance testing system, ALEKS, was also brought up and many of the freshmen in the room who had to use it voiced displeasure over the system and the way the test reacted. ALEKS is an online entrance test that allows you to take it more than once to get placed into a specific math class. All freshmen were required to take prior to entering classes this year, and many possed complaints explaining that they believe they were wrongly placed. One student in particular spoke up and said what many other freshmen have this year: the students in the room believed they were wrongly placed in a remedial math course because they had taken calculus or another higher-level math class before becoming a student at Embry-Riddle.

Dean Gains explained that they had turned to ALEKS with the intention that students would attempt the tests more than once to amplify

College of Engineering Representative

Faith Torcuator

the chance of placement in a higher-level class. But, as said, the ALEKS only tested rudimentary skills that some of the higher-level classes do not require for a base, especially the math classes engineers are required to take.

Finally, the conversation turned towards tutoring and the students’ struggle with finding tutors for their specific topics in times when they need them most. The COAS hires tutors in their lab but they are hired specifically to tutor for anything under 200-level classes. This creates a problem with many engineering students on campus who enter higher level classes and still expect to be tutored by the COAS. Sometimes there will be a tutor in attendance that knows about more than what they were hired for and can tutor students in that extra subject area, but it is not consistent. Dean Gains informed the students in attendance that the COAS isn’t meant for engineering students to constantly come in and get tutored because the College of Engineering has its own tutors that are supposed to take care of their specific needs.

Dean Gains was very considerate of everything that was said by all the students at the forum and gladly listened to all of the new ideas coming in. Hopefully, these ideas will manifest into real changes and the COAS will evolve with the rest of the university.

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Victoria Jordan Staff Reporter

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Fear in a Place of Peace

On Sunday, Nov. 5, a total of 26 people were reported dead and another 20 wounded. A gunman opened fire during service at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, TX. This church massacre makes it the deadliest shooting in Texas since Oct. 16, 1991. On Wednesday, the Texas Department of Public Safety released the names of the victims. The list included ten women, seven men, eight children, and the unborn child of one of the victims. The gunman was also reported dead after his car crashed while escaping from the scene with a witness trailing behind him.

Reports state that Kelley was convicted on two counts of domestic abuse against

his ex-wife and stepson in 2012. He was later released from the Air Force with a bad conduct discharge in 2014. Under federal law, that should have prevented him from having firearms.

The Air Force admitted on

Monday that they had failed to forward information about him to the national databases used for gun purchase background checks.

This made him eligible to purchase guns including the one used in the church

shooting. In addition to the Charleston church shooting in 2015, the Texas shooting awakens a new period where the connection between religion and safety is questioned. A church, a temple, a synagogue, a mosque, all are

places for religious worship.

Being within these sacred buildings are supposed to fuel feelings of happiness, security, curiosity, love, and hope. However, the outcome of recent events has caused the only emotion to

Photo Courtesy: Eric Gay/Associated Press First responders join in prayer following a Veterans Day event on Nov. 11, 2017, near the Sutherland Springs First Baptist Church.

be fear. Fear of dying young from the trigger of one gun.

Your future toward prosperity is stunted, and your life story is told in an obituary.

Fear of being persecuted for believing in something greater than yourself. Fearing those around you, not knowing if your religious brothers and sisters are a true enemy. Because of this looming fear we are left with a feeling of emptiness and numbness. From lessons told out of the religious texts such as the Bible, Torah, Qur’an, and Vedas, when in the presence of fear we need to rely on our religious belief the most. With this strong reliance, we are not overwhelmed with anxiety about the unknown, we can trust those around us, and we can have hope in the good of humanity.

Opinion: Thoughts on a Proposed Space Policy for the Trump Administration Experts at the Center for a New American Security think tank published a report that proposes a space policy for the Trump administration on Oct. 23rd. The proposed policy is divided into three focus areas: civil exploration, commercial exploitation, and national security. The report provides a good deal of historical context and presents some new ideas on how to resolve the biggest space policy challenges. This is the first full space policy proposal for the Trump administration that I have found, and I hope many more are to follow.

The authors note that the Trump administration will be the first administration in the 21st Century that will not be concerned with a major war overseas. The Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan had a significant impact on the legislative accomplishments of the past two presidencies. This includes developments in the human exploration of outer space.

NASA’s bold plans to return to the Moon were finalized in 2005 under the Bush Administration, and the Constellation Program seemed to be the successor to the Space Shuttles and would finally bring us back to the Moon.

However, due to massive cost overruns, the program was canceled in 2011 under the Obama administration.

Soon after, work on NASA’s current system, the Space

Launch System, began, but that too is facing cost overruns and constant delays.

Unfortunately, its future is also becoming increasingly uncertain as Congress is losing faith in NASA to deliver on its promises. There is no better president to correct the situation than Donald Trump. With less of a national security burden on his shoulders, Trump has the opportunity to restore American leadership in outer space and produce job growth numbers this nation has not seen in decades.

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Its future is also becoming increasingly uncertain as Congress is losing faith in NASA to deliver on its promises.

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Michael Weinhoffer Staff Reporter

The report offers suggestions on how the Trump administration can do just that. There are two components to a civil exploration space policy: unmanned and manned exploration.

The U.S. has sent at least one spacecraft to every planet in the Solar System, which is an incredible accomplishment. The U.S. alone has sent twenty-one spacecraft to Mars, and two more missions, InSight and the Mars 2020, rover will land on the Red Planet in Nov. 2018 and Jan/March 2021 respectively.

The Parker Solar Probe and the James Webb Telescope

will also help expand our knowledge of the universe.

As the authors note, although the missions are costly, they are vital to the development of new capabilities and technologies. NASA’s SLS was not discussed in the report, but ULA (United Launch Alliance) is recognized as a reliable private-public partnership, and ULA rockets will launch four out of the five next unmanned NASA missions.

The authors emphasize the importance of synergy between unmanned and manned missions, as unmanned missions develop crucial technologies that will make manned missions possible. The Trump administration must emphasize the necessity of making the two components of civil exploration work together.

As for the commercial space sector, the authors recommend that the administration should strengthen the partnership between NASA and the private sector by supporting projects that the commercial sector is willing to lead, such as asteroid mining or planetary colonization. The authors also suggest modifying export controls, so private companies can get the components they need from overseas without going through bureaucratic hurdles. President Trump needs to continue to strengthen the partnership between the public and private space sectors, which will cause massive job growth.

To protect the U.S. space

sector, national security measures must be increased in outer space. China and Russia have stockpiles of anti-satellite weapons, and North Korea has launched missiles high into outer space, threatening satellites and the International Space Station. The authors suggest that a key component of Trump’s policy should be to continue the Air Force’s X-37B program, which consists of a mini-space shuttle testing national security technology, but in a non-aggressive way. The administration must also ensure access to space by partnering with allies to use their launch sites in case an enemy disables one of the nation’s launch sites. Finally, the authors suggest that the U.S. should cluster sensing satellites together to create “forts”

in outer space that defend critical assets, such as communications and GPS satellites. Implementing these measures will undoubtedly enable the continued growth of the space sector while our exploration initiatives are protected by the very best space-based technologies.

A big step for the Trump administration with regards to space policy was the reestablishment of the National Space Council. The Council must be used properly to both coordinate the private and public space sectors and reorganize NASA’s manned exploration plans. Vice President Pence announced at the first meeting of the Council that NASA will be returning humans to the Moon. The statement is in direct conflict with NASA’s original plan to go to Mars

and use the Moon only as a gateway to Mars. These plans need to be clarified fast before NASA becomes lost in space. Additionally, NASA recently announced that while they are pushing for the first flight of SLS in Dec. 2019, June 2020 seems like a more reasonable launch date. Something must be done by the administration to minimize these numerous launch delays. If the Trump administration addresses the challenges with SLS and creates a policy based on the three components discussed in the CNAS report, we will be much closer to going anywhere in outer space than we are now. President Trump is the best president to right the wrong in space and set a new course of American exploration.

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Texas Church Shooting: Former FBI Agent’s Perspective Mike Shekari Staff Reporter On Nov. 5 a mass shooting took place at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, TX leaving 26 dead and another 20 wounded. The attack comes only 35 days after the massacre at a Music Festival in Las Vegas that left at least another 59 killed and over 500 wounded. This horrible attack knocked the 1999 Columbine High School shooting off the list of top 10 most deadly shootings in modern U.S. history. However, to gain a fresh perspective, former FBI special agent and associate professor of security studies and international affairs at Embry-Riddle, Chris Bonner, weighs in with his thoughts about the First Baptist Church shooting and the possibility of another similar mass shooting happening on the university’s Daytona Beach campus.

One of the first items that were noted by Prof. Bonner is that mass shooting are increasing in regularity and severity with more coverage through a 24-hour media cycle. However, according to Bonner, the reason why is less clear. A criminologist by training, Bonner mentions several theories of why these shooters commit the acts that they do, including mental psychosis, moral disengagement, and personal gain.

Unfortunately, proactively predicting who will commit these attacks and why is even more challenging to do because of restraints placed on law enforcement by the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prevents intrusive surveillance without probable cause.

An interesting aspect to this case is that the shooter should not have been able to legally purchase and own a firearm due to a domestic

violence conviction during a military court-martial while the killer was in the Air Force. However, the shooter obtained multiple guns due to a clerical error that caused the Air Force not to report the conviction to the FBI, which maintains a national criminal records database that arms dealers use to run background checks before firearms sales. According to Bonner mistakes like this are rare on the federal level and can be prevented by following established reporting procedures. However, a retired Air Force officer at the university who spoke on the condition of anonymity stated that mistakes like what happened with the shooters record’s “run rampant within the Air Force and the rest of the DoD.” Another alarming fact that was brought up by Bonner is that the FBI does not proactively ensure that all agencies are reporting

crimes that would disqualify individuals from purchasing firearms, so it is possible for other individuals who would be otherwise excluded from firearms ownership to buy weapons due to reporting failures by local agencies as well.

Another factor that makes this case stand-out from other mass shootings is that private citizens engaged the shooter in fire-fight and then proceeded to give chase in a high-speed pursuit, which ended in the neutralization of the shooter. The men who went after the gunman, Stephen Willeford and Johnnie Langendorff, are widely regarded as heroic for their actions, but it can also be viewed as reckless and dangerous. However, according to Bonner, “they did nothing wrong in the absence of other social control,” but he would not recommend everyone to do the same because of the risks that an individual

assumes in those situations.

When moving onto the possibility of a similar mass shooting happening on the campus of Embry-Riddle, Prof. Bonner repeatedly stated “yes, we are” before I could even finish a question describing Embry-Riddle as a soft target for a similar attack.

However, there were two important tips given by Bonner with regards to preventing mass shootings at the university: situational awareness and the concept of “see something, say something.” Bonner described in detail how he maintains his situational awareness, which included observing the behaviors of persons inside a room, looking for entrances, exits, and possible escape routes, and never sitting with his back to a door. Bonner also emphasized how important it is to report suspicious behaviors to proper authorities because it helps build probable cause

to intervene before a situation gets out of hand. However, in the event of a mass shooting at a soft target like the Embry-Riddle campus, Bonner encourages people to follow the “run, hide, fight” methodology, which was created by the State of Texas in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Videos explaining what to do using the run, hide, fight methodology can easily be found by a quick Google search. However, Bonner warns against arming yourself with a firearm at the university during an active shooter situation.

Since it is against university policy. The Volusia County Sheriff Department’s tactical team will “put that person down” when they arrive. To further his point, Bonner also stated the tactical team is not going to ask a person with a gun if they are “friend or foe,” and “you assume the risk” by acting this way.

Roy Halladay Killed in ICON A5 Crash Shashawat Acharya Correspondent Former Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay, winner of two Cy Young Awards and eight-time All-Star during a 16-year career, died during a plane crash in the Gulf of Mexico, just north of Tampa Bay, on Tuesday at the age of 40. His plane, a small single-engine aircraft, went down around noon just off the coast according to Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco. A 911 call was made by a resident at 12:06 PM and when the law enforcement arrived on the

scene, the plane was upside down in shallow water.

After 4 hours of search and recovery operations, Halliday was found to be the only passenger on the Icon A5. Furthermore, Nocco stated that the National Transportation Safety Board would be investigating the baseball star’s death.

Halladay was a close friend of the sheriff ’s office, and Nocco said that Tuesday “was a sad day for us here in Pasco County.”

The Icon A5 is a two-seat “light-sport aircraft” that can land on the ground or water, fold its wings, and

be transported by a trailer.

Following Halladay’s death, Icon has called Halladay “great advocate and friend” and mentioned that the company would do everything it can to help support the ongoing investigation. Halladay was not the first pilot to die in an Icon A5. On May 8, two Icon employees, then director of engineering and the lead test pilot, were killed in a crash in Napa County, California. According to a report by the NTSB, the most likely cause of the crash was the “pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from

terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude.”

After signing a bonus of $895,000 in 1995 as the 17th pick overall in the 1995 draft, Halladay started out his career with the Blue Jays. In 1996, Halladay started to experiment with his pitching style, which would eventually go on to become his “bread and butter” move. At the age of 21, he was the third-youngest pitcher ever to start a game for the Blue Jays.

His career seemed to be meteoric, and it was only a matter of time before Halladay would open. How-

ever, his 2000 season was so discouraging that he considered retirement. Instead, Halladay made some changes to his pitching, and after five starts and three complete games, he was back in Toronto. Halladay was traded to the Phillies after the 2009 season where he threw a perfect game during the 2010 season.

“There are no words to describe the sadness that the entire Phillies family is feeling over the loss of one of the most respected human beings to ever play the game,” said the Phillies in a statement.

Similarly, the Toronto Blue Jays remarked “It is impossible to express what he has meant to this franchise, the city, and its fans. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”

In addition to starting the Halladay Family Foundation which aids children’s charities, hunger relief, and animal rescue, Halladay was nominated several times for the Roberto Clemente Award, given by MLB to players for sportsmanship and community involvement. He is survived by his two sons and his wife, Brandy Halladay.

SPORTS W-Basketball Wins 59-45 November

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Allison Smalling ERAU Athletics

The Embry-Riddle women's basketball team closed out its first tournament of 2017-18 with a perfect 2-0 record after downing West Alabama 59-45 in the South Region Crossover tournament hosted

by Eckerd on Saturday.

The Eagles improved to 2-0 with the win, while the Tigers moved to 0-2.

Freshman Nicole Tucker recorded her first career double-double and the Eagles' first double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds in only her second game wearing the Blue and Gold.

Tara Fields finished with a game-high 14 points and nine rebounds, and Sabrina Whiting added 11 points to the Eagles' tally.

The Eagles struggled to shoot the basketball in the first quarter, managing just 16.7 percent shooting from the field. Tucker scored

the Eagles' first points of the game at the 8:55 mark, but ERAU didn't score from the field again until Tucker's second trey six minutes later. Tucker's basket made it a two-point (9-7) game in favor of the Tigers and a Whiting three followed by a pair of Marissa Koopman free throws gave ERAU a slim onepoint lead at the end of the first period.

The Eagles came out firing to start the second period and a 9-2 run in the first three minutes resulted in an eight -point (21-13) Eagle lead.

With the exception of three free throws and a jumper, all by Fields, the Eagle offense went cold during the remainder of the quarter.

The Eagles managed one more three-pointer and two more free throws than the Tigers in the second quarter and that translated into a three-point (26-23) edge at the half.

After outscoring the Tigers 17-10 to lead 43-33

The Avion

Upcoming Games: Tuesday

vs ERAU: 59

UWA: 45

at the end of the third, the Eagles got another three from Tucker to make it a 13-point game at the start of the fourth quarter. At the 7:42 mark, Ashley McWiliams found Lauren Ellenberger for two points on a fast break. Ellenberger returned the favor after a Fields rebound just seconds later and McWilliams' fast break layup gave ERAU a 15-point cushion. From that point, the Eagles never looked back and built the lead to 16 (5943) on a Tucker layup en route to the 14-point win.

"I am very proud of our team for the way they played today and for being able to pick up two wins on the road against tough regional teams," ERAU Head Coach Lisa Nuxol-Wilson said.

"Today, we needed to take care of the ball, rebound well and defend, and I feel like we did that against a very physical, aggressive team. We didn't shoot the ball well or finish plays around the basket, but our defense and hard work on the boards made up for it.

"Our energy on the bench and on the floor and the genuine support for each other the whole game is amazing. Our bench was a big key for us today!"

The Eagles will play their first game as a full member of the Sunshine State Conference on Wednesday when they travel to West Palm Beach to face fellow league newcomer Palm Beach Atlantic. Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m.

No Games

Wednesday Women’s Basketball vs. Palm Beach Atlantic West Palm Beach @ 5:30pm Men’s Basketball vs. Palm Beach Atlantic West Palm Beach @ 7:30pm

Thursday No Games

M-Basketball Beats Miss. College Ryan Mosher ERAU Athletics The 2017-18 basketball season finally, officially, arrived for the Embry-Riddle men's basketball team on Friday night as the Eagles cruised past Mississippi College, 92-73 in the Daytona Mitsubishi/Kia Shootout.

The Eagles (1-0), now full members of the NCAA II and Sunshine State Conference, used a big run to end the first half and another big run to start the second, to win their 14th straight season opener, and improve to 45-6 all-time in the Daytona Mitsubishi/Kia Shootout. The Choctaws (0-1) scored the final 10 points of the game to turn a 29-point deficit into just a 19-point loss.

The Eagles had five players score in double-figures, led by newcomer Rudy BibbBoyd's 17 points, while the sophomore from Gainesville also dished out a game-high seven assists. The Blue and

Gold welcomed back Ognjen Miljkovic after the Belgrade, Serbia native redshirted a season ago, with Miljkovic scoring 14 points in just 23 minutes for ERAU. Miljkovic's fellow Serbian Luka Majstorovic started the game with a block on the defensive end before hitting a jumper in the paint for the first bucket of the season for the Eagles, and ERAU would go out to a 14-9 lead on a Miljkovic layup at the 13:10 mark. However, the Choctaws stayed with the hosts through the first 13 minutes of the contest, cutting the deficit down to 26-24 when Boston Brandon scored two of his game-high 18 with just over seven minutes to play in the first half.

Bibb-Boyd sparked a 12-4 run over the next two minutes with a triple, capped by a Brian Johnson tip-in with 4:22 remaining to make it 38-28. A pair of MC free throws from Stacey Mack preceded another

Saktiswaran Jeyaganesh/The Avion Newspaper

ERAU: 92

vs

12-4 ERAU run, this time to close out the half.

Cole Hunter scored eight of the Eagles' 12 points during the last three minutes, connecting on two three-pointers and adding a tip-in before Shaquan McArthur ended the scoring in the period with a jumper, resulting in a 50-34 lead for the Eagles.

Miljkovic's 14 points led all scorers in the first half, while Bidd-Boyd added 10.

The Eagles shot 57 percent in the period, holding the Choctaws to a 38 percent clip, and out-rebounded the visitors, 21-13.

Mississippi College came out of the break trying to claw its way back into the game, finding some success as the Choctaws whittled the lead down to 52-42 on a Boston dunk with 17:15 left, but a three from BibbBoyd stopped the run, and ERAU would go on a 7-2 run to go back up by 15 with 14 minutes left to play.

Again the visitors were able to get within 10 on an Isaiah Austin jumper with 13:14 left, but the home team put the game away over the next three minutes, outscoring MC 12-2 as Majstorovic was responsible for five straight points before McArthur and freshman Elijah Jenkins hit back-to-back

Friday MC: 73

jumpers, with Jenkins' bucket coming from behind the arc.

Embry-Riddle grew the lead to as many as 29 on a Johnson dunk at the four minute mark, and after both teams went to the bench, the Choctaws went on a 10-0 run to end the contest, but it was much too little, too late as ERAU won, 92-73.

Nashad Mackey had a solid ERAU debut with nine points and 10 rebounds, while Majstorovic, McArthur and Johnson all joined Bibb-Boyd and Miljkovic in double-figures offensively with 12, 10 and 10, respectively. ERAU finished with 19 assists on 35 field goals, as well as going 12-for-22 from long range.

The Eagles collected nine steals, led by Joshua Hawkins' three. Mississippi College was able to keep it within 30 thanks to a 22-for27 effort at the free throw stripe, compared to ERAU's 8-for-11 finish.

The Eagles wrap up the Daytona Mitsubishi/Kia Shootout tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 11 with a 4 p.m. tilt against Paine College. In Friday's first game, Palm Beach Atlantic had no problem with the Lions, beating Paine, 110-73.

PBA will square off against MC at 2 p.m. tomorrow in the ICI Center.

Women’s Volleyball vs Eckerd St. Petersburg FL. @ 7:00pm

Saturday Women’s Basketball vs. St. Leo Daytona Beach @ 4:00pm Women’s Volleyball vs. St. Leo St. Leo, FL. @ 4:00pm Men’s Basketball vs. St. Leo Daytona Beach @ 6:00pm Women’s Cross Country (NCAA II National Championship Evansville, Ind. Daytona Beach @ 4:00pm

Sunday

No Games

Monday

No Games

Photo Courtesy: ICON Aircraft

Aviation

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Looks that Kill: The Icon A5 Airshow Center Aviation Nation Open House Nellis AFB, Nevada November 11th-13th 2017

American Airmen have been breaking barriers for 70 years in air, space and cyberspace, resulting in global vigilance, reach and power. They’ve shown tenacity in Korea’s MiG Alley, endurance in Vietnam’s Rolling Thunder campaign, decisiveness over the skies of Baghdad during Desert Storm, and resilience in Iraq and Afghanistan. Airmen are now fully engaged as part of America’s joint force in every region of the world and every mission area across the full spectrum of military operations. Airmen span the globe and airpower has become the “oxygen the joint team breathes.” _________

Air Race 1 World Cup U-Tapao, Thailand November 17th-19th 2017

Air Race 1 is pure motorsport at its fastest. It is a thrilling test of pilot skill in a class known as formula one air racing. 8 airplanes race directly against each other at speeds of 450kph, together on a race circuit just 1.5km end to end. Top pilots from around the world compete on the tight circuit just 10 meters above the ground, all easily visible to thousands of live spectators and broadcast on global media. The first aircraft to cross the finish line after eight laps wins. _________

This Week in Aviation History November 13, 1944

Civil air services to London are restored, with the first flights carried out by Railway Air Services

November 14, 1981

Landing: Space shuttle Columbia STS-2 at 21:23:11 UTC. Mission highlights: First reuse of a manned orbital space vehicle; first test of Canadarm robot arm; Truncated due to fuel cell problem.

November 14-18, 1965

The Battle of Ia Drang in South Vietnam is the culmination of the Ia Drang Valley campaign.

The U. S. Army’s helicopter assault concept has made its combat debut as the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) undergoes its baptism of fire, losing only four helicopters to North Vietnamese fire during the campaign.

November 15, 1965

A Boeing 707 makes the first polar circumnavigation of the world.

Henry Neiberlien Editor-in-Chief When it was unveiled in 2008, the Icon A5 took the private aviation sector by storm. It was like a mix of an ATV and Jetski that flew and it had the looks of a high-end supercar. Its minimalistic and futuristic design is what caught the imaginations of pilots everywhere, and orders for the aircraft began to flood in. The Icon A5 was intended to fit within the weight and speed requirements for the FAA’s new light-sport aircraft category, allowing pilots with less training than the typical private pilot to fly the A5.

Icon wanted everybody to get the chance to fly their recreational go-anywhere aircraft of the future.

Unfortunately, all has not gone as planned.

It has taken almost a decade and production on the aircraft is only just beginning to fill the 1,850 outstanding orders. The reasons why it has taken this long are numerous and mostly consist of how the aircraft barely fits within the FAA guidelines for light-sport aircraft. Not only has the FAA been reluctant to approve the A5, but it also has a mountain of technical problems, and the composite structure presents aerodynamic issues. Even after the A5 finally received FAA certification, problems continued. There is also a major controversy that began around the absurd require-

ments for customers in the purchase agreement, which includes contractually required pilot training, covenants not to sue, and the requirement for factory airframe overhauls every 2,000 hours. Each aircraft would also be equipped with a camera to monitor pilot behavior, which is owned by the manufacturer but must be maintained by the owner and agree to be "supportive" of the company. These requirements almost hint to Icon being aware of problems with the aircraft and are trying to hide something.

Problems for this troubled aircraft came to a new height this year after killing two Icon employees including the lead engineer and chief test pilot in a crash during a test flight on May 8. While the investigation found no fault with the aircraft, it was still a severe blow to both the company's and the A5's reputation.

Recently this aircraft has been featured in the news heavily after former MLB pitcher Roy Halladay was killed in a crash flying his A5 on Nov. 7. Video has surfaced of Halladay executing reckless maneuvers in the aircraft a day before the fatal crash, but the cause of the accident has not been officially released.

While these incidents happened under different circumstances they both have something in common; the aircraft crashed after maneuvers close to the ground resulted in an impact with the terrain. I

am not to point the blame or trace the cause to one issue with the pilots or the aircraft, but it does bring up some important questions about the aircraft design and who is flying it.

The cockpit of the Icon A5 is designed like that of a sports car, with large radial dials for speed and altitude.

Early versions of the instrumentation also lacked an attitude indicator until a small digital one was added to the center of the panel before production began.

The current version of the instrument panel consists only of a small attitude indicator, airspeed indicator, the angle of attack indicator, fuel gauge, and tachometer. These instruments are also not placed in the conventional “sixpack” that most aircraft

follow and are instead laid out like a high performance race car in a pyramid formation. The small size of the attitude indicator and the lack of any vertical speed indication points to a troubling question. Did this aircraft’s lack of instrumentation or poor human factors consideration lead to the deaths of these people because they simply did not have or could not find the information they needed efficiently. The layout of this aircraft's cockpit and the unique flight profile of the aircraft compared to more conventional layouts most pilots are used to could have factored into both of these accidents.

While the cause of the crash that killed the famous Phillies pitcher this past Monday may be complete-

ly unrelated, I believe that it is important that the FAA and Icon take flying this aircraft seriously and ensure that prospective pilots for this aircraft are properly trained and type certified regardless of the A5's light-sport certification. The Icon A5 is a futuristic and innovative aircraft that will help to shape the future of aviation if it can survive these teething troubles. However, the aircraft has already had a part in three deaths in 2017, and as deliveries of the A5 continue, it is only a matter of time before another incident like this occurs.

Unless, of course, Icon is willing to ensure the safety of its customers and not just have owners sign away responsibility when an A5 is purchased.

bringing the aircraft closer to type certification later this month.

The tests are part of an intensive flight test campaign, which started less than a year ago, to ensure operational readiness in the airlines. Some of these tests included: high airfield performance, airport turnaround, handling services, cabin systems, auto-landing

trials, and navigation and connectivity function performance. Noise tests and trials were also conducted in Morón, Spain. Additionally, the A350-1000 underwent rigorous ground and flight tests in locations with extreme conditions, such as in Iqaluit, Canada and the Al Ain International Airport in the United Arab Emirates. During the tests,

the aircraft experienced temperatures ranging from polar conditions to desert heat. The overall objective of these tests was to check the aircraft’s behavior with a focus on the cabin.

Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, the A350-1000 has a modified wing trailing edge, along with a six-wheel main landing gear simi-

lar to the Boeing 777. The A350-1000 also features a longer fuselage to increase the capacity by forty more passengers than the previous model, the A350-900.

The XWB-97 engine was also tested separately when it flew aboard an A380 where it “covered a wide range of power settings at altitudes up to 35,000 ft.”, according to Airbus.

Furthermore, the A3501000 is reshaping the cabin design by introducing its ‘Airspace’ cabin, which is said to offer unprecedented levels of efficiency and unrivaled comfort. With their additional capacity, the A350-1000 is very desirable aircraft for the busiest long-haul routes.

Currently, eleven customers from five continents have placed orders for 169 A350-1000s.

Photo Courtesy: General Aviation Newa The cockpit of the Icon A5 showcasing its sleek minimalistic design and unique instrumentation layout.

Qatar bets on A350-1000

Shashwat Acharya Correspondent Qatar Airways is expecting its first delivery of 37 Airbus A350-1000s in the coming weeks after the aircraft successfully passed functional and reliability testing. One of the requirements for the newest member of Airbus’s leading wide-body family was to fly from Europe to South America. Its objective was to fly from Barranquilla, Colombia to Toulouse, France, which was piloted

by Airbus’s flight test crews and Airworthiness Authority pilots from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). During the certification process the A3501000 flew approximately 35,200 nautical miles over 150 flight hours in less than a two-week period,

Photo Courtesy: Airbus Airbus A350-1000 MSN065 takes off from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport for the first time on February 7

Space

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Lockheed’s SHiELD Laser Defense System

Shashwat Acharya Correspondent

Lockheed Martin was recently awarded a $26.3 million contract for the design, development, and production of a high-energy laser weapon for a tactical fighter aircraft by the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL). Part of AFRL’s Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator (SHiELD) program, this weapon is expected to be implemented by 2021. In a statement by Lockheed Martin, the company's team is “focused on devel-

oping a compact, highefficiency laser with challenging size, weight, and power constraints.” Even though this contract is $26.3 million, with the progression of technology, there could be possibly a substantial market for such airborne laser systems.

According to Daniel Gourse, a defense analyst and senior vice president of the Lexington Institute, a nonprofit public policy research organization based in Arlington, Virginia, said one advantage of laser weapons is the “low cost per shot,” which

Photo Courtesy: Lockheed Martin The F-35A is planned to be armed by laser weapons by the mid-2020’s

is “much cheaper than a missile in almost every case.” This method avoids having to reload missiles or bullets. A senior fellow of laser weapon systems at Lockheed Martin, Dr. Rob Afzal has said “We have demonstrated our ability to use directed energy to counter threats from the ground, and look forward to future tests from the air as part of the SHiELD system.

The SHiELD program includes three subsystems, according to a press release. SHiELD Turret Research in Aero Effects (STRAFE) is a beam control system which directs the laser onto the target.

Laser Pod Research and Development (LRPD) is a pod that is mounted on a tactical fighter jet, which will provide power to and cool the laser.

Finally, Laser Advancements for Next-generation Compact Environments (LANCE) is the high energy, which can be used to train on adversary targets with the goal to disable them. Since LANCE is designed to operate in

a compact environment, Lockheed Martin will be focusing on producing a high-efficiency weapon, with similar capabilities and power constraints.

Although Lockheed Martin continues to develop many improvements in defense technology, putting laser weapons systems in tactical aircraft is a “completely new and different challenge,” according to Dr. Afzal. However, in addition to being able to destroy enemy missiles, there are other applications as well. Directed energy missiles are also able to throw the enemy off course and blind them.

In addition to ground and naval based applications of laser weapons, a laser can be used to take down drones. Even though significant progress has been made on laser weapon systems, it is still considered a nascent market with ample room for progress.

Although Lockheed Martin is certainly making compelling progress towards an advanced laser weapon system, it was not the first company to come

up with such an idea. In fact, Boeing was one of the early pioneers of airborne laser systems. In 2002 Boeing began implementing a laser system aboard a 747-400 aircraft for the Air Force called YAL-1.

Even though the Pentagon dismissed this $5 billion project in 2011 due to mixed success, it established that laser weapon systems could potentially destroy enemy missiles.

In our increasingly unstable world, laser weapon systems could be potentially a viable standard for self-defense. Also, lasers could be better used to defend non-stealth aircraft that are vulnerable to attacks. This is important because Iranian air defenses are now seen as a potential challenge for non-stealth U.S. warplanes, according to Ian Williams, director of missile defense project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. This method of self-defense would potentially have the power to reduce the vulnerability to advanced airdefense systems.

Launch Control Center Zuma - Falcon 9

Nov. 15/16 @ 20:00-22:00 Kennedy Space Center LC-39A

SpaceX CRS 13 Falcon 9 Dec. 4 @14:52 Cape Canaveral

Hispasat 30W-6 Falcon 9

December TBD @ TBD Cape Canaveral

ISS Sightings

Nov 16

05:49 - It’ll be visible for 3 min. max height 17°, appears 10° above N, and disappears 15° above ENE.

Nov 18

05:42 -It’ll be visible for 3 min. max height 45°, appears 19° above NNW, and disappears 32° above E.

Nov 19

04:52 - It’ll be visible for 1 min. max height 20°, appears 20° above NE, and disappears 15° above ENE.

Nov 19

06:25 - It’ll be visible for 5 min. max height 21°, appears 10° above WNW, and disappears 11° above S.

Nov 20

Cygnus Launches from Virginia

05:35 - It’ll be visible for 3 min. max height 50°, appears 46° above WSW, an disappears 11° above SSE.

Henry Neiberlien Editor-in-Chief

04:46 - It’ll be visible for less than 1 min. max height 17°, appears 17° above SE, and disappears 11° above SE.

The ninth Cygnus cargo spacecraft destined for the OA-8 mission to the International Space Station was launched into orbit on the morning of November 17th. This is

the first time the Antares has flown in more than a year after the last launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Wallops Island, Virginia last October. The last Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo mission was flown on an Atlas V this past April due

to the increased payload offered by the more powerful launch vehicle. Orbital ATK returned to its own in house Antares 230 rocket which continues to fly successfully after the redesign and upgrades it received following the October 2014 incident which resulted in

Photo Courtesy: Orbital ATK The Orbital ATK enhanced Cygnus spacecraft photographed in orbit from the International Space Station.

the total loss of the vehicle and its payload along with significant damage to the pad and support structures. The Antares 230 is powered by a two RD-181 engines on the first stage and a Castor 30XL second stage. This is also the fifth flight of the enhanced Cygnus spacecraft, and this ship is named Eugene Cernan after the famous Apollo Astronaut who was the last man to have walked on the Moon. The Cygnus spacecraft will join the Russian Soyuz spacecraft and its cargo variant Progress currently docked to the ISS. Unlike those two spacecraft which are certified for automated docking the Cygnus will approach the ISS slowly until it's within reach of the Canadarm2 which will attach

to the Cygnus spacecraft and berth it to the ISS were it will stay for 30 days. The enhanced variant of the Cygnus spacecraft adds circular and more efficient solar arrays along with an increase in payload capacity to 7,100lbs from the 4,400lbs on original standard Cygnus. After its mission is complete the Cygnus spacecraft will be filled with waste and discarded items and then undock from the ISS. The spacecraft will then deorbit and burn up in the upper atmosphere upon reentry. The current Cygnus spacecraft is not designed to be recoverable and is not equipped with a heat shield, however a proposed future variant will replace the pressurized cargo truck with a return capsule allowing for Cygnus to return experiments from the ISS back to Earth safely. The next Antares launch to the ISS from pad 0A at the Wallops Island spaceflight facility is scheduled for May 1st, 2018.

Nov 21

This Week in Space History Nov. 15, 1967

The X-15, No. 3 was piloted by Major Michael J. Adams crashed, Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRF), CA.

Nov. 16, 1972

The Explorer 48 (aka SAS-2 or B) was launched by Scout at 5:13 p.m., EST from the San Marco Facility, Kenya, Indian Ocean.

Nov 19, 1997

The STS-87 was launched, 2:46 p.m. EST, KSC. Carried United States Microgravity Payload . Landed December 5, 7:20a.m. EST, KSC.

Rajan Khanna/The Avion Newspaper

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MOTORSPORTS

Upcoming Races: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Ford Ecoboost 200 Homestead-Miami Speedway Nov. 17 at 8:00 p.m. ET

NASCAR XFINITY Series Ford Ecoboost 300 Homestead-Miami Speedway Nov. 18 at 3:30 p.m. ET

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Ford Ecoboost 400 Homestead-Miami Speedway Nov. 19 at 2:30 p.m. ET

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Sauter Goes Back-to-Back Rajan Khanna Staff Reporter Texas Motor Speedway is always known for putting on a great Camping World Truck Series race.

Many believed that Kyle Busch Motorsports driver Christopher Bell would win this race in dominating fashion, but Johnny Sauter turned that belief upside down.

Sauter held off Austin Cindric to win the JAG Metals 350 and secure a position to fight for the championship in Homestead-Miami on Nov. 17. The race saw ten drivers fail to finish with mostly mechanical issues. There were only three caution periods caused by on track incidents, which is quite low for a Camping World Truck Series race. The No. 42 truck, driven by Tommy Joe Martins was involved in an accident on lap five. The No. 83 truck, driven by Patrick Emerling was involved in a single-car crash on lap twenty-seven. Surpris-

ingly, both the pole winner and the race winner were involved in a crash. However, neither suffered major damage and were both able to continue. The pole winner was Justin Haley, scoring his first career pole. Haley led the first 25 laps until he was passed

by Christopher Bell, who only led the following twelve. Christopher Bell won the first stage of the race and lost the lead to pit for service.

He did not lead again until lap 118 and only led for eight laps.

Noah Gragson, fresh off his win at Martinsville Speedway, won stage two. He took the lead with less than ten laps remaining in the stage. The remainder of the race went caution-free and featured six lead changes. The next race is the penultimate race of the season: the Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix Raceway. After that race, the four championship contenders will battle for the championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Photo Courtesy: NASCAR

Erik Jones Sweeps Texas Rajan Khanna Staff Reporter

FIA Formula 1 World Championship Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Yas Marina Circuit Nov. 26 at 8:00 a.m. ET

FIA Formula E Championship HKT Hong Kong E-Prix

Hong Kong Central Harbourfront Circuit Dec. 2, 2017 TBD Photo Courtesy: Toyota Racing

This past weekend’s XFINITY race saw Erik Jones win from pole position.

Jones completely dominated this race, leading 142 of the 200 laps scheduled for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge.

Although Jones, a rookie in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competed, this race was very important for the XFINITY playoff drivers. William Byron and Elliott Sadler came into the race close in points. Daniel Hemric lost his primary vehicle in a crash during practice and was forced to move to a backup car. On just lap 10 of the race, Ty Dillon spun to bring out the first of seven cautions. He noted that his car was far too loose for comfort. On lap 56, Angela Ruch slammed into the inside barrier and was forced to retire. The restart on lap 61 was quite hectic. Jones lost the lead to William Byron while the field stacked up behind him. Brandon

Jones was spun by Michael Annett in an unavoidable racing incident, bringing the caution out once again. The redesign of turns one and two were blamed for the crash because the track does not have much grip on the higher lines. Brendan Gaughan and Ross Chastain had a rivalry brewing during the race. The pair raced extremely hard against each other, rubbing constantly while racing. They were both involved in an altercation post-race. Jones was determined to beat his teammate, Christopher Bell, who took victory the last time they competed together in a controversial slide. Bell overdrove the final corner and moved up directly in front of Jones, resulting in contact and damage for Jones. The next race for the NASCAR XFINITY Series is at Phoenix Raceway, for the Ticket Galaxy 200.

The defending winner is Kyle Busch, who is ineligible to compete due to new participation rules throughout the three national NASCAR Series.

Breaking the Lap Record WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Rolex 24 at Daytona Daytona International Speedway Jan. 27, 2018 TBD

Verizon IndyCar Series Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Streets of St. Petersburg March 11, 2018 TBD

Rajan Khanna Staff Reporter The triple-header weekend at Texas Motor Speedway was topped off by the AAA Texas 500. Last year’s race was delayed and shorted by rain, resulting in a long day for NASCAR officials, drivers, crews, and the fans. This year’s race had much better weather, with sunshine throughout the entire race.

This playoff race had a very entertaining qualifying session. The track record was reset by Kurt Busch, averaging over 200mph as he clinched the pole position. He was joined on the front row by Denny Hamlin, still under fire from his controversial move at Martinsville involving fellow playoff contender Chase Elliott. Early in the race, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski got together, causing Keselowski to pit for a flat tire. Kyle Busch also suffered minor damage. Later in the first stage, Daniel

Suarez became loose on the bottom of turn one with Kasey Kahne above him, causing both cars to spin. Many single car spins occurred throughout the race but none of them suffered major damage. Later in the race, Kyle Larson took a hard hit into the wall. This crash marks Larson’s third straight DNF in the past three races. Upon further investigation, it was determined that tire failure caused the accident.

At the end of the race, Martin Truex Jr. was leading but was chased down

by Kevin Harvick. Harvick took the lead with only ten laps to go and won the AAA Texas 500, reserving himself a spot in the championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The next race is the Can-Am 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, where the bottom four drivers will be eliminated and unable to fight for the championship. The defending winner at Phoenix is Joey Logano.

Photo Courtesy: Sarah Crabill /Getty Images

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Four Drivers Enter, One Champion Leaves Christopher Weil Correspondent Only one race remains in the 2017 NASCAR season; Homestead-Miami Speedway. At 1.5 miles, it’s the one race of the season where dreams are made and champions are crowned. All three of the top series of NASCAR, the Monster Energy Cup Series, the Xfinity Series, and the Camping World Truck Series, are headed to Homestead this weekend with the sole purpose of finding the three respective champions; one for each series. There are no gimmicks and no twists, just pure racing with the champion being decided by the one driver who is able to finish ahead of the other 3 title contenders. While the season has been full of ups and downs for every driver in each field, each series has its respective favorites to win their title.

In the Truck Series, the statistical favorite is Christopher Bell; a 22 year old driver for Kyle Busch

Motorsports, who has managed to win an impressive 5 races thus far, and will be looking to take his first ever championship title in Homestead. One of his biggest competitors includes veteran two-time Truck Series champion Matt Crafton. Being more experienced could lead Crafton to winning his 3rd title. The dark horse in the fight is last year’s champion, Johnny Sauter, who has proven he can beat Christopher Bell when it counts the most, including the past two races; one being at Texas, which is a similar track to Homestead as they are both 1.5 miles.

Moving on to the next tier of NASCAR, the Xfinity series has a clear favorite in rookie William Byron.

This 19 year old driver for JR Motorsports hasn’t had the best year of his career, but he has been the points leader for nearly the entire season. His biggest competition is his own teammate, Elliot Sadler, and while Sadler hasn’t yet won a race this season, he’s had the

consistency to contend for the title. Last year’s Xfinity finale did have a surprise champion in current Cup Series driver Daniel Suarez, so it will be interesting to see if another driver can spoil the JR Motorsports party.

For the main event, the Monster Energy Cup Series, the clear favorite is Martin Truex Jr. for Furniture Row Racing. Having won 6 times on one-anda-half mile race tracks this season, Truex Jr. is looking to try to win another and take the championship to boot. He has only shown one weakness on the latest mile-and-a-half track where Stewart-Haas Racing’s top driver Kevin Harvick was able to pass him with 10 laps to go for the win at Texas Motor Speedway. Martin Truex Jr. is fighting for his first championship title, while Harvick is looking to take his second title. It has yet to be seen how each driver will perform at Homestead; however, all signs say that barring any bad luck, this is Truex’s title to lose.

Photo Courtesy: Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Balancing College and Racing: A Driver’s View Samantha Stirmel Event Coverage The 2015 NASCAR Whelen All-American New Smyrna Speedway Super Late Model Champion, Anthony Sergi is a local favorite, driving for Ben Kennedy Racing. The team owner, Ben Kennedy, is the great-grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. Sergi, who is only 22, has raced in multiple series on his way to his championship, including Pro Trucks and Asphalt Limited Late Models. Before his race, The Avion Newspaper had a chance to ask Sergi a few questions.

Q: How did you get into racing?

Anthony Sergi: I started racing competitively at age ten, racing quarter midgets as well as go-karts. My favorite track that I’ve raced at is here at New Smyrna Speedway, as I consider it to be my home track.

Q: Do you have any extracurricular hobbies other than racing?

AS: Currently, I’m a senior at the University of Central Florida (UCF) studying Mechanical Engineering. I’m also the President of the UCF Formula SAE club,

Rajan Khanna/The Avion Newspaper

which requires a lot of balance between running the club, school, and racing out here.

Q: So how do you manage your time?

AS: Throughout the week, I spend most of my time in school at UCF. Some nights, I’ll

head to the team garage in Oviedo, which is only about ten minutes from campus. That’s one of the reasons why I picked UCF! But if I have homework or a test, I’ll skip the garage and focus on academics. I’ve begun to branch out from Florida

and compete in events outside the state. The farthest race that I’ve had is in Alabama, so I’ve made sure that my school schedule doesn’t have classes on Monday so that I can account for travel or rest especially after a long race.

Q: Where do you see yourself in the future?

AS: As a mechanical engineer, I would love to become a crew chief or a race engineer.

I’ve thought about both NASCAR and Formula One, but I’m leaning towards NASCAR.

My dream would be to work for either Team Penske or Stewart-Haas [Racing]. Kyle Busch Motorsports has also tentatively offered me an internship which I hope to accept next summer and thanks to the Formula SAE club, I have a lot of connections to the motorsport industry.

For example, many of the club members have accepted internships to different teams thanks to networking. Other graduates are already working as crew chiefs.

Q: Do you have any advice for new drivers?

AS: Start off with racing at a division that you can afford financially.

Don’t try to move up too quickly and overspend money, or you won’t have the proper experience and become quickly overwhelmed. Dirt tracks [such as the one behind New Smyrna Speedway] is a great place to start out and hone your driving skills.

Sergi finished 4th at the conclusion of the 100-lap shootout on Saturday night after starting from the pole position.

The Avion Newspaper wishes the best for Sergi next season as he attempts to secure his second career championship.

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The Avion

51st Annual Florida Governor’s Cup

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Driver Spotlight: Harrison Burton

Vipul Telang Photo Editor

Fresh off his K&N Pro Series East Championship with MDM Motorsports, 17-year-old Harrison Burton has taken the motorsport world by storm. Burton is no stranger to motorsports, being the son of former NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Jeff Burton. But Harrison is making sure that he is both following in his father’s footsteps and making his own name for himself, competing full-time in the K&N Pro Series East as well as part-time in both the ARCA Racing series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Burton drives the No. 51 Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports for six races.

Q: How old were you when you started racing?

Harrison Burton: I started racing go-karts when I was two, and

I moved on to the quarter midget series when I was five. I then graduated to late models when I was eleven, and raced in the super late models a year later.

Q: So how did you manage to race for Kyle Busch Motorsports?

HB: I started racing in the K&N Series, and Kyle Busch reached out to myself as well as other up-and-coming drivers that he thought had potential. Kyle is very selective about who he picks to drive for him—so I’m very fortunate he chose me.

Q: How much harder is the NASCAR Series than here?

HB: The intensity level is so much more in NASCAR. For example, if I ran wide in a turn and spun, 150,000 people would notice as opposed to the small crowd that we have here. It’s really a serious deal racing on that level, and I’m still learning how to manage

and apply my knowledge as well as experience from the Camping World series to small track racing.

Q: What’s the coolest place that you’ve raced at?

HB: Honestly, I would have to say here at New Smyrna Speedway, just because of the close racing that this small track produces. My favorite tracks would also have to include Dover or Phoenix.

Harrison Burton plans to race full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series when he turns eighteen next October. Until then, Burton is limited to just six drives in the No. 51 Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports as per NASCAR rules and regulations. The Avion Newspaper wishes Harrison the best as he furthers his motorsports career in both the Camping World Truck Series and the Florida Governor’s Cup here at New Smyrna Speedway.

Rajan Khanna/The Avion Newspaper

Samantha Stirmel/The Avion Newspaper

Rajan Khanna/The Avion Newspaper

Vipul Telang/The Avion Newspaper

Hometown Hero: Interview with Tyler Simpson Samantha Stirmel & Vipul Telang Event Coverage

Rajan Khanna/The Avion Newspaper

Just a few hours before racers took the green flag, rain pelted the New Smyrna Speedway. As the clouds cleared, the track dried, and racers readied their cars, The Avion Newspaper interviewed 19-year-old up-and-coming racer Tyler Simpson, driver of the No. 115 car for One Stop Automotive and Fleet Team.

Simpson is a Florida native, born and raised just seven miles from the Speedway in New Smyrna.

Q: How did you get your start in motorsports?

Tyler Simpson: I started dirt bike racing at age seven, but my brother got into racing when I was only four. I got offered a ride by One Stop Automotive after working for my family in the shop, and they realized my potential and here I am! Currently, I’m racing

in the Mod Mini series, which are limited to four cylinders. The top speed on the straights is about 110 mph, and if you notice, the Mod Minis are fastest through the corners because they’re the lightest cars of all the divisions.

Q: Who is your idol in the motorsport industry?

TS: My brother, for sure! He taught me how to drive and he even won the championship here in 2006. He’s racing in a few divisions higher than me.

Q: What is your favorite track?

TS: I love racing at Citrus Country Speedway [in Citrus, FL], especially since they repaved the track. But it’s always nice to race at New Smyrna, especially since it’s my home track, in a sense. It’s great to return here after four years. It’s also close to the team garage in Ormond Beach.

After a short practice session, we

caught up with Tyler and asked him about the new track conditions Q: How did the track feel? Can you notice any differences?

TS: Oh, definitely. Racers call the conditions “green” track, which is when the rain gets rid of all the rubber and the track is very slippery. It feels a lot different than on Thursday or Friday, and the conditions are very tricky. In this case, either the bottom or midline works, but the mid-line is most efficient. As for car setup, I prefer a loose car, as it’s a little easier to work with.

Q: What plans do you have for racing after this season?

TS: I’d love to move on with my racing career. I’d love to head over to the West Coast and race there.

The Avion Newspaper wishes the best for Tyler Simpson and the One Stop Automotive and Fleet Team for the 2018 season.

Entertainment

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November

14 2017

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Fortnite Battle Royale: Cartoon Chaos and Strategy

Peter Vane WIKD On-Air DJ

Fortnite Battle Royale is a new free-to-play, third-person shooter from Epic Games. The “Battle Royale” mode stands separate from the forty-dollar zombie-survival game that goes by the name Fortnite.

This game immediately caught my attention when the cartoon graphics of the cover seemed to jump out of the PlayStation Store and into my bedroom.

Overall, the game hits its mark as a reliable freeto-play, but I really hope to see some more content added in the future.

The game relies on indirect humor and a lot

of strategy. From the second a player jumps out of a “party bus” suspended by a hot air balloon to the second they die a horrible death (or on the rare occasion, win), the fun is nonstop.

A player is randomly given one of a few simple, animated characters and thrown into the Battle Royale battlefield where everyone fights to the death. One can play solo, duo, or as a team of four friends willing to risk their lives for a chance of picking up the acclaimed rocket launcher that shoots explosive pumpkins at the enemy’s towering fort.

Once a player parachutes in, he must immediately

start looking for weapons to defend himself. However, he cannot hide from his impending doom forever because a deadly storm is approaching which makes all the players migrate to a randomly selected place on the map. This forces all the players to end up closer to one another, making more of the firefights happen closer to the end of the match if a player makes it that far.

Game-play is surprisingly smooth and reliable for a free to play game.

Shooting is extremely fast, and if a player has quick reflexes, he can do very well. Although snipers can get a one-shot kill on someone who has not

had the opportunity to find armor, the bullet drop pretty much evens them out. Shotguns are just as powerful as they should be, but if someone wants to win, the machine guns are the way to go.

However, gun-play is only half the story. The main factor which makes Fortnite Battle Royale stand out is the building mechanic. One can easily mine and build all the walls, stairs, and floors as their heart desires.

Traps can even be found throughout the map that can be built into structures to kill opponents immediately. This element adds multiple amounts of fun into the game.

Fortnite Battle Royale

“Orient Express” Loses Steam Collin Anderson News Editor

The Orient Express

Murder on the Orient Express is a very well-done film adaptation of the famous novel by Agatha Christie that ends in the most anticlimactic way.

The movie starts in Jerusalem in 1934 and follows the story of world-famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh).

On the boat out of Jerusalem and into Istanbul, Poirot meets Dr. Arbuthnot (Leslie Odom Jr.) and Miss Mary Debenham (Daisy Ridley).

While boarding the Orient Express at the Istanbul train station, the rest of the

characters are introduced including businessman Edward Ratchett (Johnny Depp), missionary Pilar Estravados (Penélope Cruz), and Princess Dragomiroff (Judi Dench).

In the middle of the night, Poirot hears a scream in the cabin next to his. The conductor knocks on the door and asks if everything is alright. In French, someone responds, “It’s nothing.” Shortly after, the train is making its way through the mountains during a storm when it is halted by an avalanche blocking the rest of the track. In the morning, it is learned that one of the characters was

murdered in the middle of the night. Poirot is asked to help solve the case, to which he reluctantly agrees.

The rest of the movie is best described as the board game Clue, but it takes place on a train.

The film is interesting and full of plot twists, which is upsetting considering it is all wasted in the end. The last 20 minutes are the greatest letdown of the movie. Like the train, the movie comes to a screeching halt when the murderer is revealed. A star-studded cast can only carry a movie so far.

This movie is full of symbolism, especially in the bib-

lical sense which is evident in the last scene. Kenneth Branagh is no stranger to directing with two of his most famous works being Thor and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. That being said, Murder on the Orient Express seems like it was directed by Wes Anderson and not by Branagh. The style of dialogue, camera angles, colors, and comic relief is reminiscent of The Grand Budapest Hotel or Moonrise Kingdom.

With finals nearing and students graduating, this movie is the perfect reminder that it is always essential to sprint through the finish line or have all of your hard work get derailed.

“... I Watched this Show in One Day” Levi Duncan Correspondent Shows like Stranger Things are hard to classify.

It is technically a television show, but the structure and the way they are consumed are all more comparable to movies. It’s not even marketed as “Season 2.” On every poster and trailer, it is Stranger Things 2. The best way I have to think about each season of Stranger Things is as a movie. Last year the first season of Stranger Things came onto the scene and immediately captured the attention of millions. It became a rare piece of monoculture

in a world where there are fewer and fewer shows that “everyone is watching.” This year we were given Stranger Things 2, and in the spirit of 80s sequels, it is basically the same thing but bigger. More characters, more monsters, and another generic antagonist. With one glaring exception, it is a really good season, but I would say that the first season is definitively better.

We are introduced to most of the new characters in the first episode of the newest season. Max (Sadie Sink) is the new member of the kid’s group and becomes the love interest of both Dustin and Lucas

throughout the season. Her brother Billy (Dacre Montgomery) is introduced as a bully/bad-boy archetype, and honestly, I have no idea why he is in this season. Bob “the Brain” (Sean Astin) gives terrible advice but definitely grows on you throughout the season.

Besides that, the only new character I really want to mention is the conspiracy guy, Murray Bauman (Brett Gelman), who has by far the best line of the season and was a joy to watch.

There really is so much to love in this show. The ending is ultimately heartfelt and satisfying. The kids are all incredible actors and

are completely compelling. Something as simple as all of them dressing up as Ghostbusters shouldn’t make me smile, but it does.

The parents are amazing caricatures. Winona Ryder is great. Nancy and Jonathan have a satisfying storyline. Every scene of characters just hanging out is pure pleasure. Hopper and Eleven have a great dynamic. Dustin and Steve is somehow the best thing about this season, and how in the world did Steve become my favorite character. If you aren’t Team Steve after this season, I simply don’t know what to say.

Where the show made a

mistake though in the “similar but bigger” approach to this season was the fact that, for me personally, I don’t care about a lot of the plot mythology about the upside down. I just want to hang out with these characters, and all the moving parts of the plot kind of weigh the whole thing down. One example is that because of the way the show has developed Eleven, you basically have to treat her like Superman and keep away from the main problem because if she was there she could almost immediately fix all the problems. It’s definitely a problem they will deal with in upcom-

ing seasons, but hopefully in a different way.

I really did love this season, but I’m worried about the direction they are moving. Characters are infinitely more interesting than the plot in this show, and in this season the balance of focus shifted significantly more towards the direction of plot.

I suppose I’m nostalgic for the first season, which is ultimately on brand for a show with nostalgia essentially built into its DNA. I fear the best season of the show may be behind us, but I hope that I’m wrong. Stranger things have happened.

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“Your problem is so terrible, I worry that, if I help you, I risk drawing the attention of whatever god of technology inflicted it on you.�