The Avion Issue 2 Fall 2023

Fall 2023 Issue 2

A Letter from the Editor-in-Chief

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Once again, welcome to . I hope your semester is going smoothly so far, even though I know it has flown by.

Can you believe that we are past the midpoint of the semester?!

However, even in the crazy, in the stress, and in the busy, it is good to pause, breathe, reflect, and regroup. Almost every semester, I have had to re-center my focus on why I am actually here. That is a normal thing to do.

Often, people will say that college is the best four years of your life. This statement, while having good intentions, is not often always the case. While yes, college life can be memorable, during this season, you are laying the foundation for who you want to become. Time marches on regardless of whether you are ready for it or not. The habits, routines, priorities, friendships, systems, etc., more often than not, stick around with you.

When I came to Embry-Riddle several years ago, there were many decisions and changes I had to take time to think through and make for myself. One of the things I have learned time and time again is that you are, and you have to now be, the advocate for yourself. When it comes to your health, coursework, relationships, boundaries, faith, etc., it is up to you to determine the life you want to lead. The challenge with this is that it is difficult. It is difficult not to follow the same path and break free from the norm. Every semester brings new challenges, new courses, new professors, new opportunities, and so much more. Yet, with each semester, there is almost a danger of embracing only the highlights of college life. Often, we are in danger of forgetting why we are here in the first place. It’s okay to prioritize your schoolwork, but it is also okay to prioritize your health.

Everyone on this campus is, at the end of the day, a person. We all have our own stories, experiences, and struggles. We are all on this journey through life. This Issue features a few of those stories in professor spotlights, interviews, and more. There are also plenty of highlights and stories about things happening across campus, Daytona Beach, the aviation & aerospace community, and many others.

God Bless, Andrew Harker Editor-in-Chief,

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS ISSUE 04

08

14

THROUGH THE LENS

20

BREAKING BARRIERS

Check out highlights of the final year of the Reno

Look at Riddle through the lens of a first

Air Races through the lens of a photographer.

generation student and their experience so far.

FROM RIDDLE, TO THE

30

A FLORIDA RESIDENT'S

INDUSTRY, AND BACK AGAIN

STAYCATION GUIDE

Meet one of the newest AMS faculty members

Back for round two? Check out more hidden

on a journey like no other.

gems in the state of Florida.

PROFESSOR SPOTLIGHT

32

AN UPDATE ON THE STARSHIP

Get a glimpse through the clouds of Professor

HEAVY MISHAP

Eicher, his journey to Riddle and within the

Find out more about what is going on with the

meteorology department.

Starship Heavy and SpaceX.

FRONT COVER

BACK COVER

A Lockhead T-33 Shooting Star sits on the ramp during

DJ Flyby hypes up the crowd during their set performace at

sunrise at the last National Championship Air Races at

PaintU 2023.

Reno-Stead Airport.

PHOTOGRAPH BY GAGE ALTROCK (@gage_altrock)

PHOTOGRAPH BY COLIN DAILY (@colinfd25)

The skies over Reno, Nevada, were packed one last time for its final year of air racing! For almost 50 years, Reno-Stead Airport has been home to the annual National Championship Air Races. Dubbed ‘the world’s fastest motorsport,’ competing aircraft fly around a multi-mile track, reaching speeds over 500 mph, only tens of feet above the ground. This multi-day event brings in pilots and spectators from all around the world.

Although the races are well known, some of their publicity comes from negative incidents in their past.

With multiple fatalities over the event’s 49-year stretch, a stigma regarding the safety of air racing has risen. This, combined with the area’s rapid growth and development, has brought new safety concerns to the table. Resultingly, it was decided that this year’s Races would be Reno’s last.

Morning glow highlighting one of the many race planes.

I was fortunate enough to make it out to the races for their final year, and they were surreal, to say the least.

Attending in person, I was surprised to see that the week held much more than closed-track flying. Including the expected, there were a multitude of events and demonstrations throughout the week, ranging from short takeoff and landing (STOL) races to military and civilian demonstrations. Watching all kinds of aircraft tear up the desert skies made for some unique photo opportunities.

The highlight of the week, however, was making it trackside under pylon #8, just feet under the aircraft as they screamed past — a perspective many do not get to witness made even more special with the race’s final days. I am beyond grateful to have witnessed such a special event in person before it came to a close.

Though the sun may have set for the races in Reno, air racing, as a whole, is far from over. The events previously held in Reno are expected to pick back up in 2025 in alternative locations, with National Championship Air Races stating that they are “confident the event will continue…” and are “exploring several other possible locations to host the event in the future.”

Staring down the barrel of the A-10 with T-6 racers racing past.

West Coast Rhino Demo moments before startup.

Learn Around The World Study Abroad with Embry-Riddle

Andrew

Studying abroad is an experience that expands the mind and opens students to a world of possibilities as to what is truly out there in the world. One Study Abroad program Embry-Riddle offers students is Electrical Engineering in Dubai. The trip is offered by Dr. Demirkiran, a professor who ensures students get everything out of their one month away from home.

Throughout my trip, I got to experience everything I could have asked to see. The group got to go on the world’s fastest roller coaster, Formula Rossa, experience the fireworks off the side of the Burj Khalifa on New Year’s in Dubai, and taste many different foods that you never thought you would try in your life, all while taking classes and gaining credits towards your degree.

The trips abroad introduce you to a group of people with whom you will always remain close throughout your time at Embry-Riddle. Some of these people were the ones who introduced me to an authentic shawarma location in Dubai where the restaurant did not speak any bit of English for us to order.

Seeing how life is lived in another country opens your eyes to a new way of life. Getting to take in the culture and architecture of Dubai will live on in my memories forever. This trip was so revolutionary to me that I encouraged one of my closest friends, Colin, to embark on a summer trip to Berlin, Germany, to study in the same classes with Dr. Demirkiran.

Colin My time in Berlin, Germany, during the 2023 Summer B Electrical Engineering Study Abroad program allowed me to break free of the comfort bubble I had previously confined myself. As cliché as it sounds, this was a huge deal for a kid who had hardly ever ventured out of the eastern United States. After much consideration, I realized that if I ultimately chose to stay behind, I would deeply regret it.

This program brought about new friendships and experiences that I would not trade for the world. As groups, we saw many monuments and historical sites scattered throughout Berlin while learning more about the history of Germany. Of course, this was in addition to the frequent electrical engineering lectures. These included the Brandenburg Gate, the East Side Gallery along the Berlin Wall, and many other memorials and informative museums. Outside of Berlin, some friends and I took advantage of Europe’s well-connected air and rail network to venture outward to Vienna in Austria and Prague in the Czech Republic for a few short days.

Dr. Demirkiran, the lead professor, is a great professor and ensured that every student on the trip enjoyed their experience to the fullest throughout the month. If you are looking for a sign to attend any Study Abroad program, this is it. We all come from different walks of life, but taking part in a unique experience such as studying abroad is something you will not regret — and psst, the tuition is half off.

Sept. 23, 2023, marked the ninth annual Girls in Aviation Day, presented by Women in Aviation International (WAI). The international-level event served as a way for WAI chapters worldwide to introduce young girls, ages eight to 18, to the world of aviation.

Daytona Beach’s chapter hosted the event alongside Sheltair, across Runway 16-34 in one of Sheltair’s hangars. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s student chapter of WAI volunteered at the event, running check-in, a photo booth, a raffle, and tabling on behalf of WAI. Companies who were invited to attend the event included Piedmont Airlines, Phoenix East Aviation (PEA), Alpha Company Aviation, Central Florida Business Aviation Association (CFBAA), NASCAR Aviation, South Atlanta Helicopters, Flight Time Building, Avic Air, Air America Flight Center, and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA).

Every aspect of the aviation world was showcased to the young girls in attendance, hoping to empower them to pursue a career in the field.

Flight Time Building and NATCA had tables right next to each other where they displayed an old pilot's headset with other old flight instruments and equipment.

Sheltair, PEA, and South Atlanta Helicopters all had their aircraft on display, allowing attendees to sit inside to get a closer look at the instruments. The aircraft included a Champion Decathlon, a Cessna 172 “Skyhawk,” a Robinson R-44 rotorcraft, and a Cessna 150 named “Lady Liberty.” PEA also advertised that they offer both FAA and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) pilot licenses, allowing future pilots to fly both domestically and internationally. Daytona Beach International Airport’s air traffic controllers modeled one of the headsets used in the tower, explaining in detail how each part works and how it compares to the headsets used by pilots. Daytona Beach International Airport also brought out one of its Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting trucks, opening the vehicle up to allow attendees to look at all their equipment. They even had attendees climb into the cabin and get a feel for driving the truck to an accident site.

A kid visiting the event enjoyed sitting in the ARFF truck.

WAI's table had WAI pilot certificates for attending the event along with merch. The merch included wooden model planes, pens, and more.

While WAI offers free junior membership to individuals 18 and under, that’s not to say they don’t have anything for college students, either.

WAI’s student membership is $29 per year for full-time college, university, or vocational program students. This offer includes full-time enrollment at a Part 141 flight school. You must include the name of the school in the application. Individual membership is $49 per year for aviation professionals and enthusiasts. WAI also offers plenty of scholarships, which can be found on their website, wai.org. If you’re interested in joining Embry-Riddle's chapter of the organization, you can find more information on their Instagram profile, @women.in.aviation_erau.

Daytona Diversions: Why do we Sometimes Get Arbitrary Airplanes?

ARTICLE BY NOAH COOPERMAN / Staff Reporter PHOTO BY NOAH COOPERMAN / Staff Reporter DESIGN BY JACOB RAINERSON / Senior Reporter Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB/KDAB) is a relatively small airport that occasionally hosts unexpected visitors from various domestic and international airlines.

Despite its size, KDAB is a preferred diversion airport for several reasons, highlighting its suitability as a landing spot in emergencies or when other planned destinations are unavailable.

As an international airport, KDAB boasts a US Customs and Border Protection desk and a separate, lesser-used international terminal. However, the customs desk primarily serves private and charter international flights. Moreover, the airport maintains an Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) team, ensuring a swift response to any aircraft that might develop an emergency problem.

One key reason airplanes divert to KDAB is the practice of having alternative or diversion airports in flight plans. This precaution becomes necessary when the initially intended destination airport becomes inaccessible for arriving aircraft, which can happen due to adverse weather conditions, ground issues at the destination airport, or emergencies on board. While airlines typically divert to airports where they have established operations or partnerships, the choice of a diversion airport can also depend on whether the runway can accommodate the size of the aircraft.

Today, the most common reason for diversions to KDAB is adverse weather conditions over nearby Orlando. The airport has witnessed a variety of diverted aircraft, some of which don’t typically provide regular service to the airport.

For instance, in February 2017, an Airbus A330 operated by Air Berlin diverted to KDAB during a flight from Düsseldorf, Germany, to Cancun, Mexico, due to reported smoke in the cockpit. Similarly, in November 2022, Aer Lingus UK Flight 34, also an Airbus A330 flying from Orlando to Manchester, diverted to KDAB for the same reason. It is worth noting that neither incident correlated to the aircraft being the same type.

Remarkably, despite these emergencies, no injuries or fatalities have been reported in any recorded diversions to KDAB.

A pivotal moment in KDAB’s history occurred in 1992 when runway 7L/25R underwent a significant expansion, increasing its length to 10,500 feet and widening it by 150 feet. This expansion was in response to the increasing size of aircraft.

As a result, KDAB can now theoretically handle any modern aircraft, including the massive Airbus A380. However, it’s important to note that while the runway can accommodate such large planes, the taxiways may be too narrow, and there’s a risk of damaging on-field objects.

G-EILA, the Airbus A330 that diverted to Daytona Beach on November 8, 2022, when smoke was reported in the cockpit.

Passengers were bussed back to Orlando.

Understanding why planes choose to divert to Daytona Beach International Airport sheds light on the significance of this unassuming yet crucial airfield. Its extensive runway facilities, customs resources, and dedicated ARFF team make KDAB a reliable sanctuary for flights facing unforeseen challenges. It prioritizes the safety and well-being of passengers and crews in the ever-dynamic world of aviation. So, the next time you hear about an aircraft rerouting to KDAB, you’ll appreciate why it’s a smart choice in times of unexpected need.

Page 7

was asked by the Aviation Maintenance Science (AMS) Department to interview Paul Stecewycz, the newest addition to its faculty. He is an Embry-Riddle graduate of the Aviation Maintenance Technology department and is a former employee of Fantasy of Flight, formerly known as the Weeks Air Museum.

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Northrop Grumman F4F Wildcat that is now on display at “Fantasy of flight” in air.

Short Sunderland flying boat on display at “Fantasy of flight”.

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To learn more, visit www.hdsunflower.com.

Designing an Aircraft

is a process which can be broken down into five simple parts: 1. Defining the aircraft’s specifications (range, payload, takeoff, and landing capabilities).

2. Sketching an architectural drawing of all the aircraft components by hand.

3. Making a scaled-down model out of wood to get a threedimensional picture.

4. Using computer-aided design software to get a virtual image of the final design.

5. Verifying that the virtual design meets the specifications by using software and testing a physical prototype in a wind tunnel.

References: S.J. van Heerden, Albert, D. Guenov, Marin, Molina-Cristóbal, Arturo.

“Evolvability and design reuse in civil jet transport aircraft”.

Progress in Aerospace Sciences (Volume 108), 1 July 2019

These steps sound simple because designing an aircraft is straightforward until you realize that you messed up the dimensions of a 3/8-inch screw, causing the entire wing to fall off at 39,000 feet. I will try to elaborate on the first of the five parts of basic aircraft design mentioned above.

Whenever an aerospace engineer attempts to design a plane, they must have pre-determined aircraft specifications. These may include its range, payload, takeoff, and landing capabilities. These factors will determine crucial aircraft characteristics such as the lift-to-drag ratio, the thrust requirement, the maximum weight of the aircraft, and the structural load on every single component of the aircraft. These characteristics will directly affect the design of the aircraft, such as the surface area of the wing, the size of the engine air intake, the volume and shape of the fuselage, the mounting point of the engine, the girth of the landing gear and the suspension system, and location and size of the fuel tank.

To get this information, aerospace engineers rely on their customers. The customers may be airline executives, manufacturing directors, or the heads of research and development teams at aerospace manufacturing companies. They ascertain market demand and growth.

The article “Evolvability and design reuse in civil jet transport aircraft” goes over this exact topic [1].

The authors explain how the aviation market played a role in the birth of several modern aircraft. They investigated “evolvability practices in actual commercial transport airplanes.”

The “most important lesson” they learned was to simply recognize the importance of extensively studying the future market and planning appropriately for change. From what I learned from this article, aerospace engineers need to be fearless in the use of novel design technologies while incorporating preexisting design philosophies, which have been tried and tested in the industry for decades.

How to Design an Aircraft Like an Aerospace Engineer

The Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) Student Chapter of the American Meteorological Society/ NWA held a Meteorology Career Discussion Panel on Sept. 21 featuring David Dillahunt, chief meteorologist of Southwest Airlines; Samara Cokinos, WKMG News 6 broadcast meteorologist; and Robert Haley, a National Weather Service meteorologist. The panelists cover the three main meteorology career paths and are all ERAU meteorology alumni. The panel was led by a Q&A session where attendees got to have their burning questions answered. Here are a few of the main topics covered.

From College To Career All the panelists agreed hat the college-to-career transition is hard worth it. There are some days where you will work around the clock and feel exhausted and others where the hard work finally pays off and you get to see your success.

In the National Weather Service, and possibly other fields, there is an understanding that you’re not expected to be at the highest level of performance when you initially start working there. Which, according to Haley, is good because on his second day in the office everything broke.

Dillahunt’s advice “Don’t turn down opportunities you don’t think you’ll like.” His college to career transition started with going from job to job until he found one, he liked. He went from academia to aviation meteorology, exploring every opportunity that came his way.

Key takeaways for a smoother transition: go out and explore all your opportunities and don’t be afraid to fail because they are not expecting you to be perfect.

From a broadcasting side, Cokinos’s transition, from a time perspective, was smoother. Her final semester, from a time perspective, was smoother. Her final semester, she was taking seven classes and taking care of her kids, so the lack of sleep helped her transition into her early morning call times. For the morning segment, she had to wake up at 1:00 am, be in the office by 3:00 am, and work until 1:00 pm. But her advice, “If you want something different every day, news production is the way to go.”

Applying For Jobs Every career path is different. Haley and Cokinos went in depth about how their fields hired candidates. Haley described how the National Weather Service hires through USAJobs, a program used by the federal government. It is an online portal that shows every job the government has to offer. You upload a resume and a cover letter, fill out a questionnaire and it will rank you among other candidates. The first round goes through the office of personnel management, then gets churned out by an algorithm and sent to the NWS. “The resume doesn’t have to be a gorgeous work of one-page art. The more you put on it the better…don’t feel like you need to stick with one page. USAJobs has a resume builder and it’s really something you should use.”

Cokinos went through a similar process with TVJobs.com.

The hiring procedure involves you making a digital reel. The first clips of the collage should be your best work; if you do not wow them in the first 10 seconds, they will not accept you.

“I made a website. It displayed me, my personality, and my resume. if they continue with your application, they’ll give you a test, have an interview, and only then decide on your contract.

Don’t feel pressured to accept [the contract] when you get it.

Read the fine print.”

She mentioned that typically, there are no outs in your first contract, and ‘And other duties’ means you’re going to be a reporter. If you decide you don’t want to live somewhere and break your contract, you need to look at how much money you will owe them. You need to break down your contract and see how much raise you’ll get each year. People will fight for you if they want you. Contracts are tricky but they’re great because of job security. Agents will help you. They won’t undersell you as you might, and if you can’t hire an agent, it’s a good idea to hire an agency for a one-time fee.

Dillahunt touched on the topic of job opportunity,stating that “Meteorology opportunities are better now than they were before the pandemic.” He added on that “You should take advantage of every opportunity that you get,” and encouraged everyone to apply for a lot, get out of the classroom, and find conferences in any niche area you want to work in. Saying no is always an option.

Ideal Internship Candidates Dillahunt is a hiring manager for Southwest airlines, and he led this section of the discussion with ways to stand out from the crowd. Knowing that most juniors in meteorology across the country have similar classes and curriculum, he emphasized that professional and communication skills will put your application at the top of the hiring stack. He looks for someone who is open to criticism and humility, because “as a meteorologist, you will get forecasts wrong.” He added that an internship is the second round of hiring, and that work doesn’t stop after it.

Cokinos began with a case on motivation. She was adamant that people who come in willing and ready to work are generally the best. “When you go to your first job, you are going to suck, but you are going to get better. In a lot of places, you’ll need to look for ‘What did I do well and what can I do to get better?’”

mitigation as opposed to tactical flight operations. “Some of your big weather companies are gung-ho big on the artificial intelligence (AI) stuff because it’s attractive. If it’s not something someone does, it’s a service they can sell. We [Southwest] mimic a lot of what the NWS does.” He claimed that in a scenario where he would have to hire someone who is 100% coding with no communication skills or someone with 100% communication skills and no coding, the person with no communication skills would be a difficult hire.

Cokinos entered with “Weather drives the news. We are the reason people turn on the TV to watch the news.” She mentioned her workplace had a meeting on how they felt about AI. Nobody wants a robot doing their job. “In our conference, someone brought up — it could help reporters, as in, if we have AI take a script and turn it into an article for the web, we could upload it immediately, but if we do that, we have immediately eliminated the web team.”

She also added that many people think they are meteorologists with their weather apps. She and her team constantly think about how they can stay relevant. She said they have changed focus from only forecasting to communicating with people who are not meteorologists. “You need to add personality and sell yourself. If you don’t, they’re not going to watch you. You need to establish a rapport with people. Your ability to communicate your scientific knowledge in a rudimentary way will help people on every level.”

Hayes was a proponent of AI in this discussion, replying that AI can help write forecast discussions and the mundane tasks they have to do every day. He also told us they use AI to predict lightning. “You can take data and input it into an AI, and it can give you something you’ve never even thought about.” All three panelists emphasized that being able to communicate is vital.

Haley touched on how employers go about internship candidates. The National Weather Service has a pathways program and a volunteer program. They’re constantly evaluating you- it’s just what happens. Are you someone they want to hire?

“Is your ability to communicate or knowing coding/AI skills more important?”

Dillahunt made it clear that the need really depends on the sector and what company you are in. He said that Southwest operates differently, in that they are oriented to business risk

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Professor Spotlight Rob Eicher / Applied Aviation Sciences

ARTICLE BY JACOB RAINERSON / Senior Reporter PHOTOS COURTESY OF ERAU DESIGN BY JACOB RAINERSON / Senior Reporter

Many college students walk into class during syllabus week and hear their professor give a 10-minute talk on who they are, their background, and maybe a fun fact or two about their lives. They take the class, get their grade, and rarely interact with their professor. One of my favorite things about being a student here at Embry-Riddle is the fact that this is not the case. Maybe this is just my experience, but I think we are lucky here at Riddle. Class sizes are small, and the student-to-faculty ratio is insanely high compared to most universities. This allows us to become more connected with the individuals responsible for teaching the next generation.

This week, I had the joy of sitting down with Professor Rob Eicher in the Applied Aviation Sciences Department.

Continuing with our theme of digging deeper, I had an engaging conversation with someone I would consider a prime example of what it means to be a great professor at Embry-Riddle.

“Do they understand the words coming out of my mouth?”

Thousands — tens of thousands, hundreds? — would recognize Eicher mostly from his extensive career as a broadcast meteorologist. However, as many can relate, listening to the meteorologist on TV can be confusing and — some may

Rob Eicher, Assistant Professor of Meteorology.

say — outright useless because “meteorologists are the only professionals that can be wrong and still keep their job.”

Eicher is trying to change that narrative by simply asking himself and the meteorology community in general, “Do they [the public] understand the words coming out of my mouth?”

As mentioned, Eicher is a broadcast meteorologist at heart. Having worked at seven different TV stations, he misses the challenge of daily forecasting.

From WHTH in Boston, where he forecasted everything from blizzards to tropical systems, to WOFL in Orlando, forecasting sea breeze thunderstorms and summer heat, he has seen it all.

For 20 years, Eicher worked in a stressful news studio with sometimes terrible working hours. When he and his wife — a news anchor herself — learned they were expecting a child, they both knew one of them would have to quit the broadcast business.

This is when Eicher reconsidered a job he had previously left to teach at Embry-Riddle, where he has now been full-time since 2018.

Having kickstarted the broadcast meteorology program as Adjunct Faculty back in 2005, this new full-time position is not Eicher’s first run around with Riddle.

Why did he come back? Eicher says he “loves seeing the next generation succeed.”

You can now find Eicher teaching a variety of courses in the Meteorology program, but the broadcast studio is still his baby and is where he teaches students the art of broadcasting. One of his favorite things about teaching compared to broadcasting is that with teaching, he gets to interact with the results of his work all the time. Whereas with broadcasting, he was just staring into a camera with little to no interaction with the results of his work.

Eicher is currently working on his Ph.D. over at UCF. A student like the rest of us, he finds his time there to be challenging but rewarding.

His Ph.D. is in Strategic Communication, focusing on Risk Communication. Think of the National Hurricane Center’s Cones of Uncertainty. The work Eicher is doing attempts to make those graphics and the language that meteorologists use, clearer to the public.

His plan after he earns his Ph.D.? Back to his office at ERAU! Eicher truly loves his position and the flexibility he has in doing research here at ERAU that blends the line between science and communications – something he believes is unique about Riddle and is a great

Former on-air Chief Meteorologist Rob Eicher in the broadcast studio here on campus. Located on the third floor of the College of Aviation Eicher helped start the broadcast program back in 2005.

matchup for his professional and weather nerds, or enthusiasts. educational background.

Some final thoughts for you Eicher is also currently working from Eicher: “Meteorologists in conjunction with the American aren’t the only ones who can be Meteorological Society (AMS) to wrong professionally sometimes. produce The Certified Digital Baseball players only have to Meteorologist program! The hit the ball once every three or AMS reached out and asked him four times!” if he would serve on the board As funny as the old joke about that will be certifying a new kind of meteorologist, one of the digital meteorologists is – especially variety. Think “Mike’s Weather broadcast meteorologists – Eicher says, “I’ve always wondered: Was Page”-type beat. the meteorologist wrong, or did The certification will be given they send the wrong message?” to qualified meteorologists with His Ph.D. work attempts to online publications, websites, answer this question and, and social media pages. It’s a hopefully, bridge the gap between way to distinguish the certified some complex meteorology meteorologists from hobbyists, topics and the public.

If you have a professor or ERAU staff member you would like to see featured in Issue 3, stop by the Avion Office and let us know!

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Who is El Niño?

ARTICLE BY JACOB RAINERSON / Senior Reporter IMAGES COURTESY OF NOAA DESIGN BY EJ BAILEY / Staff Designer

If you have paid any attention to meteorology news recently, I am sure one term has come up multiple times: El Niño. Who in the world is El Niño, and why should you care? For starters, El Niño, or little boy in Spanish, isn’t a human. It’s a climatological pattern that impacts several factors with North America’s weather. El Niño is part of a broader weather phenomenon called the El Southern-Oscillation Cycle (ENSO). This phenomenon is a departure from the norm, and periods of El Niño or La Niña can last months or years!

Under normal conditions, trade winds — a fancy term for permanent winds — blow from east to west along the equator in the Pacific Ocean basin. These winds transport warm water from South America towards Asia, causing upwelling in the far east Pacific and creating a pool of cooler water off the coast of Central and South America. El Niño and La Niña break these norms, changing the climate dynamics globally, for better or for worse.

In a period of El Niño, the normal trade winds weaken, and warmer water is pushed back east toward the Americas. This warmer water causes many weird changes to our weather here in North America. The Pacific jet stream moves more south, which typically means more wet conditions in the South United States (US) and dry conditions in the North US. El Niño also helps to suppress hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin if the ENSO period is strong enough.

El Niño weather patterns

As you would expect, La Niña is the opposite effect of El Niño.

Trade winds are stronger than usual in the Pacific Basin.

This phenomenon pushes warmer water toward Asia and brings much cooler water to the surface off the coast of the Americas. The jet stream is pushed north, and the south sees a warm, dry winter while the north experiences a wet, cold winter.

La Niña can make hurricane season in the Atlantic more severe.

What is happening right now? According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, odds are more than 95% in favor of El Niño lasting through the winter. What can you expect? As mentioned, El Niño should dull hurricane development in the Atlantic Basin, especially as we get closer and closer to winter when El Niño impacts are the greatest. Additionally, this may cause wetter-than-average conditions across the Southern US.

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The Annual Cat Show The Place Where a Cat Can Become a Private Dancer

Do you like fluffy little kittens? Perhaps, you even have a pet at home? If you answered yes to at least one of these questions, then the Annual Cat Show is the place for you. Located in the heart of Daytona Beach, at the Ocean Center, this event for cat lovers is a competition between the prettiest cats and kittens.

This event took place on Sept. 17, 2023.

The first part of the show consisted of an Agility Competition. This event was an obstacle course that the cats had to complete as fast as possible. The recordbreaking time was 10 seconds for the entire course!

The cats had to jump over little barriers, run through several hoops, and climb over two walls. Shockingly, some of these objects were taller than the average cat.

Some cats gave up halfway into the course; however, the most persistent ones were able to complete this challenge. Every participant received a participation award, and the top three received cash prizes.

The second part of the show was the beauty contest.

The cats were split into 20 groups; every breed competed separately. First, my friend and I saw the Russian Blue cats; they were majestic. Every Russian Blue cat had to have blueish-black fur and emerald eyes to qualify for the beauty contest. We were told that every breed had its own beauty parameters and standards.

The judge was a middle-aged man, dressed in a shiny black suit. Before the contest, the owners had to put their pets into cages next to the mini-stage. Some cats were fine with that; however, some cats refused to go into their cages. They scratched their owners and the judge. Unfortunately, these terrified cats were disqualified. Perhaps, this show was their first, and they were scared of an unfamiliar environment.

There were several winners of the beauty contest.

Every breed and color had a winner. After the contest was over, we walked over to another stage. This part of the show was, perhaps, the most exciting. The Costume Contest was next!

Pumpkin, Dracula, Bumblebee, and even a Private Dancer – yes, you heard it right –were just some of the cute costumes we saw at the competition. Loud meowing mixed with applause filled the room. The owners cheered on their pets as they walked the stage. In my opinion, the Private Dancer resembled a flight attendant, but the costume was unique and memorable, nonetheless. In the end, the Dracula costume won. Personally, I loved the pumpkin costume, but the cat was too shy.

I would love to go back to the show next year. This event was cute and unique. Now, I realize that I miss my cat Akira back home.

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The Place To Be On Friday Nights ARTICLE BY MAKENNA WINES / Correspondent PHOTOS BY MAKENNA WINES / Correspondent DESIGN BY EJ BAILEY / Staff Designer

After the stress of the week, it is always nice to socialize with friends and classmates in a relaxing environment. If you are looking for a fun-filled Friday night, look no further than Skyline Social, a weekly event put on by Student Engagement and Student Union, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Primarily located on the second floor of the Student Union, events vary from week to week, including painting, bingo, trivia, live music, and more. Food is also available for purchase, so if you want a snack during the event, there are some options to choose from. In the past, mac and cheese bites, nachos, tacos, and wings have been served. Students also have the opportunity to win fantastic prizes. At bingo and trivia nights, in particular, prizes can range from gift cards to movie tickets to LEGO sets. For each Skyline Social event students attend, they can also earn Bonus Bucks.

Theo Moon performs at Skyline Social.

The credit for all these amazing activities goes to Allie Britton, the assistant director for campus activities in the Student Engagement and Student Union office, who has been organizing and hosting Skyline Social since she started working here in July 2021. Britton remarks, “Skyline Social is put on to create a relaxing atmosphere to round off the end of the busy week [with a] pub-style atmosphere with games, trivia, painting, bingo, [and] all kinds of fun activities that are free for students, faculty, and staff, just to celebrate the end of the week.” While each week brings its own type of entertainment, one of Britton’s favorite Skyline Social events is Brewfest, which takes place during Homecoming weekend. This year, Brewfest will take place on Nov. 3, featuring lawn games, a live musician, and, of course, beer, on the Connolly Quad. “It’s a really great environment and vibe,” comments Britton.

If you are interested in attending, Skyline Social events are found out on the deck outside of Starbucks on the second floor of the Student Union, or inside on the terrace, also on the second floor. Students can be guaranteed a fantastic time with food, friends, games, music, and all-around fun!

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Friends pose for a photo at Skyline Social.

What Are Friends For? While looking to find my home here at EmbryRiddle (ERAU), I had some bumps along the way. I wrote an article, “A Letter Home,” and had a small internal crisis. Nonetheless, I had to discover who my friends were, and I had to ask myself, “What are friends for?” So, what are friends for? They are the people you gravitate toward, who help you through hard times and are here for you. The ones who keep the peace are heroes, yet sometimes, they are villains. But we are all the villains at some point, right? We will find the right friends when we look in the right places. My friends and I are all freshmen here at ERAU. We’ve gone to rocket launches, made connections, and shared many meals together. One thing that people don’t tell you about college is that every day is a redo; you get the chance to get back up and restart your day.

You may not feel like that is something that you can do; trust me, I know. In a world surrounded by OnlyFans girls and TikTok dancers, it makes you feel small, but remember that there’s always help out there. I recently had a chat with Tammy Hayward, the Administrative Coordinator of Retention and Parent/Student Programs. In simple terms, she is the best contact for first-generation students. She told me something that has stuck with me, and for all the freshmen reading this, you may learn something from Tammy Hayward’s quote. She told me, “The academic program here is challenging. It takes a lot of hard work, but you just have to know that there are people here that want to help you.”

When we get challenged, it’s normal for us to just quit and be done. I had to find out the hard way during the past few weeks that this is what friends are for; they’re for you to have some people to lean on. My friends have done a lot for me, and I’m grateful. However, when we must ask ourselves, “What are friends for?”, we must know that they are just one rung on the support ladder that exists here at Embry-Riddle. When people look back on their lives, it’s no wonder they look back on college as the best years and say, “The friends you make in college will last you a lifetime.” I’m starting to see how that is true.

When you look back at your college experience, do you want to say, “I learned how to fly a plane!”? or do you want to say, “I learned how to fly a plane, and I got to do it surrounded by some of my best friends!”? It’s been three months since I started college, and I know that I’ve had a crazy experience so far. I can only imagine what some of you have been up to!

Just remember, you have a support network here at ERAU. You must take the first step and realize you need help. So, what are friends for? Friends are here to push you on your worst days and laugh with you on your best days. Sure, they can be annoying, but we’re all human. We’re all here to push one another to be better each and every day.

Breaking Barriers

A Real Perspective of a First Generation Student ARTICLE BY TUCKER LEHTONEN / Staff Photographer PHOTO BY DAVID GUERRA / Managing Editor DESIGN BY DAVID GUERRA / Managing Editor

students have academic challenges, too. Many first-generation students come from less fortunate areas and have worse school systems. Myself, I jumped between three different high schools.

Most graduates from one of my high schools ended up being drug addicts and nurses. Life can be hard when your friends want you to go out with them, and you don’t have On top of that, attending the money for it. Or, you college puts immense might avoid buying things First-generation students pressure on your shoulders. for yourself because of the have no one to lean on for Imagine you fail a class! In constant guilt that arises advice or norms of college. that case, you just set up after every purchase. You To be fair, I didn’t even the family for failure. In can’t fit in with these highknow that fraternities and addition, first-generation rollers with their Teslas Can I be real? This is hard. It shouldn’t be this hard. I’m tired of these extremely late nights when I only get a few hours of sleep if I’m lucky. It never was this hard when I was younger, and I understood it all. Where do I base the blame? Is it my study habits? The difficulty of my classes? Or are my professors not teaching? Is it my general idiocy? I’m not sure, but we can look at some key points.

sororities existed before I got here. It can be difficult for someone new to the process to figure out how to register for classes or even how to pay for classes.

Paying for classes turns out to be one of the most difficult conversations someone can have with their parents. I wasn’t allowed to go to college due to the cost. College is a hard thing to break into.

and Porsches. Not fitting in is a huge disadvantage and makes everything harder for a first-gen.

Over a third of college students are first-gen.

If you’re a struggling first-generation student, I encourage you to be vulnerable and reach out for help by talking to your advisor, checking in with family and friends, or hanging out with the First-Generation Club, as they can provide valuable resources. No matter what, don’t let being a first-gen student get in the way.

Keep fighting, and keep your head up.

Generat Page 20

ational

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U T N I A P

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DJ Smiley sprays the crowd of PaintU before his set on the evening of September 22nd, 2023.

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Preparing For A Future Of Leadership And Excellence ARTICLE BY OWEN DIETERLE / Correspondent PHOTOS BY ANDREW HARKER / Editor-in-Chief DESIGN BY YOSIF MLADENOV / Correspondent

On Oct. 5, the Army ROTC MSIII cadets at EmbryRiddle participated in their sixth Leadership Laboratory (LLAB) to execute the training they had prepared since the beginning of the fall. This LLAB, led by Cadet 1st Lieutenant Bengtson, was designed to allow the MSIII cadets to put the individual soldier skills that demanded knowledge, expertise, and leadership into practice. Cadets were forced to work vigorously to earn the ‘Expert Cadet Badge’ (ECB) — a rigorous test awarded to those who could perfectly meet the strict criterion in each of the six events.

The events that pushed the MSIII cadets to be their best consisted of grenade throwing, radio operations, call for fire, movement under fire, care under fire, and camouflage skills. Each test required the cadets to prepare — as their class grade was dependent on their results — and ensure that no errors were overlooked. Perfection was incredibly difficult, with only a few cadets left in the running to earn the badge. However, the overall performance from each cadet was nothing short of impressive, with commendable skill of personal soldier techniques in full display.

This training is only the beginning for the MSIII cadets at Embry-Riddle. This summer, they will travel to Fort Knox, Kentucky, for their Advanced Camp training, which will further allow them to improve their individual soldier skills and their abilities as leaders in the field.

Embry-Riddle’s Army ROTC Eagle Battalion has been known to produce incredible leaders who are achieving impressive results within their units and branches. The demonstrated success of the MSIII’s ECB results leaves no doubt that this continued streak of success is sure to appear this summer. While the ECB is just one of the finely crafted events made to refine the skills of the Army cadets, more will follow, with plenty more training every week, along with an impressive Field Training Exercise located at Camp Blanding later this month. While being so close to commissioning as Second Lieutenants, much work remains to be done. At Embry-Riddle, the Army ROTC program continues to thrive with excellence, nonetheless leading the way for future leaders in the United States Army.

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A cadet skillfully applying camouflage paint.

Wound treatment for the cone underfire lane, with each move being meticulously graded.

A cadet working to skillfully plot a navigation point, preparing to call an artillery strike.

You’ve moved off campus, or maybe you live on campus with a small meal plan, but there is one expense you are not ready for: groceries! We are all feeling the pain of going to the grocery store. According to the Government Accountability Office, food prices generally increase about two percent per year.

I did some digging into my own finances and grocery purchasing trends. I want to share some of that information with you all so you can hopefully cut the cost of your grocery bill while still eating healthy, wellprepared meals!

At the end of 2022, I had spent nearly $1,500 at grocery Between 2021 and 2022, food prices rose a whopping stores. This figure isn’t completely accurate because 11 percent nationwide! The increase hit grains and sometimes I was shopping for several people. All things bakery products the worst, at about 13 percent, while considered, this is still a substantial amount of cash! fruits and vegetables were affected the least, by nine percent. is famous for their Buy-One-Get-One (BOGO) deals that save me quite a bit of money!

Their BOGO deals are on a rotating schedule, and they come out with new BOGO deals twice per week. You can sign up to receive the Publix Weekly Ad, so you know exactly what deals are occurring during the week. Another thing to note is that you can get more than one BOGO at the store’s discretion, meaning you can purchase two items and get two free — or even more — on some items. is famous for just being cheap. In my opinion, you get what you pay for. Pro-tip, the Walmart locations in Port Orange and Ormond Beach are much nicer and more reliable than the one in Daytona Beach. is a one-stop shop. I recommend buying Target brand items as they are just as good as the name brand, but you can also get household goods. Additionally, you can sign up for the Target Circle Rewards program and earn one percent — five percent with RedCard — on all your purchases. The Target app also includes rotating deals targeted to you. One of the best deals I have found is at the start of the semester when they offer students upwards of 25 percent off purchases just for being students!

This smaller chain keeps its prices low by not selling brand-name items. Bring your own bags because Aldi charges you to use their plastic bags — if they even offer them. Bring a quarter, too, because you need to pay a whopping 25 cents to shop with their carts. Don’t worry; you get the quarter back when you are done.

These stores are great for purchasing bulk items to share with roommates, snacks that don’t go bad, and gas! You will have to have a membership to shop here. The membership for Sam’s Club starts at $50 per year, and Costco Wholesale starts at $60 per year.

Shining A Spotlight on Greek Life

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Alpha Xi Delta “Join Alpha Xi Delta, and be part of a historic, empowering journey that inspires and uplifts each woman to realize her highest potential, through transformative experiences and unwavering support.”

Sigma Kappa “Discover Sigma Kappa: a sorority renowned for personal growth and leadership.

Embrace an empowering journey of tradition and selfdiscovery, building lifelong friendships in a community that champions you.”

Theta Phi Alpha “Our mission is to foster close comradeship, advance educational, social, and philanthropic interests, encourage spiritual growth and high moral standards, and promote lifelong bonds of friendship.”

Sigma Sigma Sigma (Tri Sigma) “Embark on Tri Sigma’s enriching journey, an inclusive sorority passionately dedicated to empowerment, innovation, and fostering diverse, deep friendships, while collaboratively shaping a brighter, united future.”

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Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) “Join Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI), a proud brotherhood of deep tradition, innovation, and high ethical values, dedicated to nurturing tomorrow’s leaders through enduring friendships and impactful, selfless service.”

Delta Chi “Delta Chi thrives on fostering enduring friendships and personal growth among members, uniting men of shared interests and values to pursue common goals, creating bonds that extend well beyond graduation.”

Lambda Chi Alpha “At Lambda Chi Alpha, our mission is simple; we inspire and equip men to lead a life of growth, service, and leadership, perfect for those to unfold their potential adventure and camaraderie.”

Sigma Chi “Our core values are Friendship, Justice, and Learning. We empower brothers to impact the world positively. Our goal is to foster a brotherhood of leaders committed to friendship, justice, and learning.”

Pi Kappa Alpha (PIKE) “Join Pi Kappa Alpha, where scholars, leaders, athletes, and gentlemen unite in a fraternity deeply committed to academic excellence, vibrant social success, impactful service, and an enduring, meaningful brotherhood.”

Sigma Alpha Epsilon “As Sigma Alpha Epsilon brothers, we strive for the highest standards of friendship, scholarship, leadership, and service for life, holding focused principles, strong convictions, and the strength to act rightly.”

Halloween at Orlando’s Theme Parks

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Sweet Treats found at Sugarplum’s Sweets in Diagon Alley.

No matter if you are team Universal or team Disney, both parks put on quite a spooktacular event for all guests to enjoy.

Discover Holiday Magic in the Nation’s Oldest City There are plenty of places to put on your bucket list for around the world, but did you know that one of the nations top 10 holiday attractions is right here in your own backyard?

Top Five Things To Do: 1. Caramel apple at Kilwin’s 2. Selfie with Christmas Tree 3. Visit The Fort 4. Check out the boats from Bridge of Lions 5. Visit the Lightner Museum Gardens

St. Aug�stine.

Lighting up the Nation’s Oldest City with more than 3 million lights, November 18th kicks off the official start of the holiday season for the City of St. Augustine.

Visitors from around the world travel to Florida’s historic coast throughout the season enjoying the holiday blitz created by hotels, restaurants, and merchants as part of the annual festivities. The season opens with a community gathering and count down to the lighting of the tree in historic downtown St. Augustine’s Plaza de la Constitución.

Visitors can enjoy the displays by strolling St. George Street, take carriage rides along the bay front, catch a trolly or view the lights from a water taxi or charter boat. The annual Nights of Lights is recognized as one of the top 10 holiday events in the nation by USA Today and has been recognized by travel and leisure magazine Southern Living for its spectacular display. Not only is Nights of Lights a tradition for generations of families but has become a mustsee attraction for college students across the region. There is nothing quite like making a trip to St. Augustine during this season and immersing yourself in the holiday spirit. Whether you are grabbing a slice of pizza from Prohibition Kitchen or a caramel apple from Kilwin’s, before heading over to hear free music in The Colonial Oak Music Park or snapping photos at the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument aka “The Fort”, St. Augustine is always a memorable experience. Be sure to plan your visit between November 18th thru January 31st. For trip ideas and more information on things that are happening throughout the holiday season in St. Augustine visit www.visitstaugustine.

A Florida Resident’s Staycation Guide Part Two

Well, well, well, look who’s back. Were you able to visit all the places I told you to see back in Issue 1? No? Yeah, it is tricky to travel all across the state in such a short amount of time. The good news is that I am back to provide more hidden gems to visit all around Florida. Make sure to pull out your ‘Things I need to do before I graduate college’ list! I know you have one!

Remember, my friends, you are most definitely still a tourist, even if you are living in Florida. Even if your driver’s license was issued in Florida, you’re still a tourist. Even those who are born and raised in Florida are still tourists. With 267 cities, 123 towns, and 21 villages in the State of Florida, it’s rare for a Florida resident to see everything this state has to offer.

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These are just a few places to explore here in Florida. To find more hidden gems like these, visit Atlas Obscura’s “The Atlas Obscura Guide To 359 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Florida.” Happy Adventuring! I’ll see you in the next Issue!

An Update on the Starship Super Heavy Mishap ARTICLE BY A. AKIE OLESZEWSKI / Staff Designer PHOTO COURTESY OF SPACEX DESIGN BY EJ BAILEY / Staff Designer As of Sept. 8, 2023, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has closed their investigation into SpaceX’s Starship Super Heavy launch mishap that occurred early this year on April 20. If the test flight had succeeded, the Super Heavy would have become the most powerful rocket ever launched, with a maximum thrust of 16.7 million pounds. To compare, the Space Launch System (SLS) has a maximum thrust of 8.8 million pounds, and the Saturn V has a maximum thrust of 7.6 million pounds.

For the aerospace safety students and the space buffs reading this, one question may be at the forefront of their thoughts. Why did SpaceX launch without flame deflectors, especially given that flame deflectors have been used as far back as the 1940s and 1950s, with the V-2 and Saturn V? We may never know for sure, as the final report will not be publicly released. However, by gathering evidence from news articles, we can try and form some fact-based conclusions. According to an article by Engineering.com, the CEO of SpaceX, Elon Musk, had stated on social media that he planned for his Texas launch to be without flame deflectors, but “this could turn out to be a mistake.” The Verge’s article on the matter appeared to confirm this. The Verge also found that the FAA had not cleared the Super Heavy to launch due to conflicting data between the two organizations regarding weather data. The article states: “The FAA’s models showed that if the rocket exploded, its shockwave could be strengthened by various weather conditions like wind speed and endanger nearby homes. As a new launch countdown clock was ticking, SpaceX asked the FAA to waive this safety threshold at 1:42 p.m., but the FAA rejected the request an hour later.” The article then goes on to state that SpaceX’s Director of Launch Operations resumed the countdown, believing their data was sufficient and assumed the FAA’s inspector “did not have the latest information” as the reason SpaceX was not being cleared to launch.

So, what happened? The launch for the Super Heavy occurred at 8:30 a.m. local time at Boca Chica, Texas, when the rocket roared to life over the Gulf of Mexico. At a height of 226 feet, the Super Heavy is relatively small when compared to the Saturn V and the SLS. However, around four minutes after launch, when the vehicle had an altitude of about 18 miles above the launch pad, an anomaly occurred midflight that caused the vehicle to undergo an unplanned rapid disassembly. Or, in layman’s terms, the rocket blew up, and they didn’t want that to happen.

The FAA has come out to state that the mishap investigation report will not be released to the public due to the sensitivity of some proprietary information. However, they have stated on their website that the final report found multiple root causes for the explosion and recommends 63 different corrective actions for SpaceX to implement.

These corrective actions have included transitioning to hot staging for the Starship vehicle, where the engines will ignite before Starship separates from the first stage.

This process has required engineers to design a heat shield for the first stage and a new vented interstage. SpaceX has also reinforced the mount beneath the launch pad, along with a water-based deluge system to help mitigate the blast power of the Super Heavy’s engines. The FAA also mentioned that SpaceX was only licensed to perform this one launch, and given the severity of the mishap, they will have to declare all corrective actions have been implemented before they apply for a new license.

SpaceX Super Heavy

Overall, it is safe to assume the probable cause of this mishap stems from a slew of issues. From the lack of flame deflectors to management seemingly ignoring the warnings made by the FAA, one can only hope that SpaceX will learn from their mistakes and do better for future launches.

The Starship Super Heavy has a promising future as the world’s most powerful launch vehicle, but only if lessons have been learned and mistakes are not repeated.

For sources and more information:

Article from The Verge

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Article from The Washington Post

Article from Tesmanian

News from FAA

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In caSE you Issue 2 September News Recap - 2023

ARTICLE BY MACKENZIE SEAMAN AND KATELYNN STILES PHOTOS COURTESY OF

Sept. 2— A shipwreck from the 1800s found in Lake Michigan The Trinidad, on its final voyage in 1881, had been lost when it began to fill with water and eventually sank. The only casualty was its mascot—a large Newfoundland dog— which was asleep when the ship sank.

Sept. 1— Coup in Gabon, Central Africa The Gabon coup—the latest in the constant stream of coups on the African continent—was set to take down Gabon’s 55-year-old ‘dynasty.’ It occurred shortly after the presidential election results were released, which put Ali Bongo Ondimba back in power.

Sept. 5 Kim Jong Un/Putin arms deal Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia to discuss a possible arms deal with Vladimir Putin, where he offered arms to Putin in exchange for help developing satellites and space exploration. At the same time, in Pyongyang, North Korea, two ballistic missiles were launched about 400 miles (600 kilometers) off the Korean Peninsula’s east coast for an unknown reason.

Sept. 9 Morocco earthquake An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7-6.8 hit the MarrakeshSafi region of Morocco and was the strongest to hit the region since 1960.

Sept. 11— - Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon in the first game of the season Aaron Rodgers ends his season early due to a tear in his Achilles tendon during the first game of the season in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

- J.M. Smucker buys Hostess for $5.6 billion - New India-Middle East-Europe trade route established A new trade route to link the Middle East, Europe, and India (backed by the United States and European Union) by boat and train could speed up trade between Europe and India by 40%.

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Sept. 13 - Biden Administration plans to spend $100 million on electric vehicle chargers The Biden Administration decided to set aside $100 million to upgrade or replace Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure across the country, making them more reliable than before.

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MISSED IT ERAU CARIBBEAN STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION, BBC, CNN,NYT DESIGN BY CLAYTON LOUGHARY AND ANDREW COMPARETTA

Sept. 15— United Auto Workers Union on strike against General Motors, Ford, Stellantis The UAW is on strike against Ford, GM, and Stellantis because they want better pay and benefits. The companies’ profits have also been on the rise in recent years, and they [workers] feel owed because the union bailed these companies out during the Great Depression and lost out on their benefits.

Sept. 19 - Crayola starts to sell flowers as part of a non-profit venture With the launch of Crayola Flowers, 10-50% of the profits made from each purchase will be donated to a charity or entity chosen by the customer.

- Blink-182 announces first new album in 12 years Blink-182’s latest album after 12 years, “One More Time…” is set to release Oct. 20, 2023, featuring 17 new songs.

Sept. 25 Lego abandons idea to make bricks from recycled bottles After announcing they would start using recycled plastic in the making of their bricks, Lego decides to abandon the idea. They said they’re leaving the venture because production would increase carbon emissions more during the product’s lifetime than if they were to continue using the oil-based bricks instead.

Sept. 27— Writer’s Guild of America strike finally ended (since May 2)

Sept. 29 New York City floods to dangerous levels New York City declared a state of emergency as torrential downpours caused severe flooding throughout the city, causing many people to be stranded or confined to their homes, with no reported injuries or deaths.

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[R U X] Corner

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Brandon and Amanda are graduate researchers in the Research in User eXperience (RUX) Lab in the Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology. RUX investigates the usability and user experience of technology in our everyday world. This is a regular column that reports on a RUX usability study of the ShapesXR application on the Meta Quest Pro. ................................................................................

“I Almost Forgot I Was in a Real World, Too”: Assessing the User Experience of ShapesXR ARTICLE BY BRANDON DRESLIN AND AMANDA DHANPAUL PHOTOS BY BRANDON DRESLIN / Correspondent DESIGN BY ANDREW ZUBYK / Correspondent

the strengths of each XR experience to create a unique collaborative prototyping platform. However, little was known about users’ experience while using the app. A usability study was conducted to understand how users interact with ShapesXR on the MQP.

The Meta Quest Pro XR headset and its controllers.

When you were a child, you and your friends may have tinkered with playsets that had various shapes and objects as accessories to build your own fantasy space. Now, imagine doing that in a virtual world. This is essentially what the ShapesXR app for the Meta Quest Pro (MQP) is. This app is used to design objects and build spaces with natural body movements and gestures, either alone or with other people. With this tool, anyone can create objects in a three-dimensional mixed reality space using controller button presses and hand movements. There are many customization features, including options for the object type, color, size, and position. You can even import pictures and existing designs from another prototyping tool, like Figma. Your creations are showcased in a virtual world or on top of the real world using extended reality (XR) technology.

The ShapesXR study tasked two people (placed in separate rooms wearing an MQP headset) with collaboratively building a three-dimensional prototype of a shared office space using the MQP. All participants had to complete several tutorials before they started building. A baseline office setup, shown upon entering the ShapesXR building room, included various office items and descriptions (with the favorite color and item) of four virtual office workers. Both people were able to see each other’s virtual avatars and hear each other’s voices through movement-tracked cameras and microphones.

They were instructed to work together to ensure that each worker had desks, computers, pictures, and decorations that aligned with their preferences in the office space. A virtual closet contained all the necessary items for the successful completion of each task.

Unbeknownst to the participant, the other person working with them was a confederate. In other words, this person was not an actual participant; rather, they were part of the research team and knew everything about the study. In psychology research, confederates help researchers study human behavior. In this study, the The MQP is an XR headset that combines virtual reality, confederate served to facilitate both teamwork and the augmented reality, and mixed reality functionality into completion of tasks that were known and not known to one device. These experiences merge the real world with the participant. the digital world to various degrees. ShapesXR leverages Page 36

Let’s Build An Office (Amanda’s Point of View) “As a participant in the study, crafting and decorating in ShapesXR was so much fun! I felt like the objects I created in the virtual world became part of my real world; I didn’t want to accidentally step on or bump into the space that they occupied. At first, it was difficult to get used to the controls of the MQP and the controls in ShapesXR. I learned a lot about using those tools through trial and error. As I completed the decorating tasks, I thought to myself, “If only decorating was this easy and inexpensive in real life!” I was also impressed by the collaborative capabilities of ShapesXR on the MQP. I felt like it was very similar to working on an in-person group project. After using the MQP, I had a headache for a few hours. I was told that this was a common symptom for people who Image from one participant’s point of view in ShapesXR. are not accustomed to wearing XR devices. Nonetheless, I would be excited to use this device more in the future!” my first participant. During the study, I was provided a confederate script, which instructed me to create situations where the participants experienced a specific feature of the ShapesXR app. Some of my tasks were known to the participants, but other tasks were not. For example, they knew that we had to color objects according to each office worker’s preferences, but they did not know why I purposefully recolored an object after they colored it. This was nerve-wracking yet exhilarating at the same time. I really enjoyed being a confederate, not only because I got to ‘play pretend,’ but also because I learned several valuable takeaways about the research process.”

Conclusion People are often captivated by the things they can One participant working with a collaborator to import pictures in ShapesXR . experience in the virtual world, but staying plugged into the real world can be equally fascinating. XR technology bridges this gap, allowing us to create virtual objects in a Let’s Play Pretend (Brandon’s Point of View) “Helping with the study and being a confederate was virtual world, blend them into our surroundings, and even oddly exciting. I felt like a spy on a mission because I had interact with them as if they were real! This study serves to subtly convince the participants I worked with that as a portal into the ShapesXR universe by uncovering I knew nothing and that it was also my first time using how it empowers people to build their own reality. When ShapesXR. I accomplished this by sometimes acting discussing their time using ShapeXR on the MQP, one confused about how to do certain things. In reality, I knew participant expressed just how powerful the experience the app and device pretty well because I practiced the can be: “I almost forgot I was in a real world, too.” scenario and completed confederate-specific tasks with the research team for several days before interacting with Page 37

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Through six Sunshine State Conference matches, the Embry-Riddle women’s volleyball team is currently second in the league standings with a 5-1 SSC record. The Eagles are second only to Tampa, who is ranked third nationally.

Junior Jaden McBride is leading the Eagles to start the season and has been key in the Eagles’ 11-3 start. She has 202 Kills (4.0 per set), a .270 hitting percentage, 22 aces, 160 digs (3.2 per set), and 33 blocks (0.7 per set) in 50 sets played.

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Senior Issler Headlines Eagles’ Final Day at ITA Regionals LAKELAND, Fla. – Senior Maja Issler wrapped her first ITA/NCAA South Regional tournament appearance in winning fashion on Sept. 24. After falling in the first round of the main draw, Issler battled her way through five matches in three days to win the singles consolation bracket — a first in Embry-Riddle women’s tennis’s NCAA II era.

Her first match of the day saw Issler take on Klara Podskubkova in the semifinal round. She dispatched the Montevallo player in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, to advance to the finals. In her final match, Issler took a one-set lead against Auburn Montgomery’s Ana Villalvazo, but dropped the second set 6-1. Issler bounced back from the second-set loss to win the tiebreaker 10-5 and finish as consolation bracket champion.

Before taking the court in singles, Issler teamed up with Laura Cuesta Bert in the quarterfinals of the doubles main draw, going against fourth-seeded Salma Djoubri and Kristin Younes of Lynn. A slow start saw Issler and Cuesta Bert fall behind 6-1, but the ERAU duo rallied to win six of the next seven games to force a tiebreaker. In the end, the Lynn pair was able to pull out the win, taking the tiebreaker 8-5.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The men’s cross country team is currently ranked fourth in the South Region according to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Association rankings.

The Eagles, who have placed second in each of their last two meets, are led by senior Tanner Rosolino who has been the top Eagle runner at three of their four meets.

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle women’s soccer team is off to an undefeated start with a 6-0-2 overall record, which includes a 3-0 record in conference play.

Grace Foyer is pacing the Blue and Gold with 10 points on five goals. Lauryn Mateo and Marie Myhrvold Seim each have four goals and an assist.

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Four Embry-Riddle studentathletes have been awarded scholarships by Boeing for the 2023-24 academic year. The announcement was made at a reception for select student-athletes at the home of EmbryRiddle president Dr. P. Barry Butler on Sept. 17, ahead of Boeing Week. Boeing Week is an annual event where Embry-Riddle students, faculty, and staff have an opportunity to network with aviation and aerospace leaders from The Boeing Company.

The four recipients of the Boeing scholarship were Stevie Albright, golf; Matthew Coker, baseball; Reni Jancsik, golf; and Hudson Kirk, lacrosse.

Albright is a sophomore majoring in business management with a marketing focus. As a freshman, she garnered Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar, D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award, and Sunshine State Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll honors. She was also elected as Embry-Riddle’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee’s secretary for 2023-24 and is a recipient of a 2023-24 Eagles of Excellence scholarship.

Coker has also earned Sunshine State Commissioner’s Honor Roll recognition and is pursuing his undergraduate degree in business administration, majoring in management.

Jancsik is a senior on the women’s golf team. She is majoring

in aerospace engineering with a specialization in aeronautics and has earned SSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll honors.

Kirk is heading into his sophomore year after a freshman campaign that saw him earn SSC Men’s Lacrosse All-Freshman team honors. Like Jancsik, he is an aerospace engineering major pursuing an aeronautics track and garnered SSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll recognition in 2023.

Boeing’s scholarship program for student-athletes is one facet of a longstanding Embry-Riddle/Boeing partnership. Other programs include Embry-Riddle’s participation in Boeing’s Engineering Accelerated Hiring Initiative as well as the Boeing Career Mentoring Program, the Boeing Scholars program, a Boeing program to serve ROTC graduates, internships through an Engineering Development Program, and the Boeing Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety at Embry-Riddle.

Flight Certifications S P R I N G t o FA LL 2 0 2 3

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COMMERCIAL PILOT (321)

_____________________________ Abdulelah Abdullah T Althinayyan Abdulrahman Baghlaf Abdulrahman Mazen R Abdullah Adam Vincent Slama Adia Lee Lopez Aida-Alexia Cirlan-Hustea Aidan Korey Aiden John Mcdonnell Alaina Audrey Rider Alessandra Mazzini Alexander Aaron Rivest Alexander Mannanov Alexander Michael Marino Alexandra Myia Mc Gonagill Amelia Rose Vaith Andrew Kaito Beene Andrew Mark Lepage Angel Yadiel Matos Melendez Anna Lee Miller Anthony Meo Austin James Ondas Austin Shirley Ben Christopher Neubig Benjamin Farris Benjamin Robert Winkler Bradley Jo Graham

Raymon Xu / The Avion ERAU Diamond DA-42 on the Flight Line posing during golden hour.

Bradley Robert Biagiotti Brandon Banacheck Lewis Brennan Ray Anderson Caitlyn Ky Ling Tang Carter Edward Mickley Albers Chanho Nahm Chloe Prunczik Christian Maria Pisani Christian Troy Arbelo Christopher James Hoffman Christopher Michael Barbaro Christopher Perez Colin Lee Wicker Colin Lombardi Cyprianni Fitzgerald Stewart Daniel Bowen Daniel Malagar Ewing Daniel Yates Ritton Davian Papius David Joel Birchfield David Warner Delaney Alexander Stutzki Dom Aloysius Bico Mandigma Dominic Joseph Frangiose Dylan Michael Hyde Dylan Robert Townsend Dylan Vielhauer Elizabeth Marie Demian Emma Christine Kirschenheiter Eric Carl Larson Ethan Cochran Ethan Ray Borjas Ethan Robert Dovico Evan Ray Sill Fady Madhat Lamey Ibrahim Fisher Mcbryde Jones Freud Luigi Jeantilus Gavin Michael Alwine Gino Vincent Zagarrio Giovanni Branaugh Gordon Brienza Grace Ann Mccorvey Guillaume Franck Aime Andre Chevrier Haewon Park Heejae Kam Heran Wang Jack Patrick Wiley Jack Ryan Kelly Jacko Ho Jackson Warren Septer Jacob Bradley Donaldson Jacob Joseph D’Aleo Jacob Nessim Jaden Elias Jaeyeon Jung Jahi Omari Roberts Jaime Jesus Cuadros James Distasio Jax Steven Banco Jay Desai Doscher Jesse Yong

Jesseo Nam Jiacheng Zhang Jinsil Choi Joohyeon Kim Jose Angel Lizardi Joseph Edward Minnich Joseph Thomas Allard Joshua Oletsky Joshua Peter Cortez Junho Oh Keith Machado Kendra Ann Sander Kevin Patrick Reilly Kevin Paul Brennan Khaled Abdulrahman Alsofian Kihyun Park Kyeongmin Lee Leo Robert Buchanan Leonidas George Tsirtsis Levent Safaltin Lexi Ebersole Liam Robert Flood Longda Wang Lorenzo Antonio Echeverria Lorenzo Echeverria Lowen James Chesley Luca Anthony Vizzarri Lucas Warren Daniels Luis Guillermo Sanz Vilches Macie Lamb Madison Marie Drake Madison Porter Madison Taylor Amann Mason Quinn Nunamaker Matthew Alexander Margil Matthew Moore Nanney Matthew Rothman Melissa Ann Kinney Michael Alexander Cisneros Min Jae Lee Minhyung Park Minwoo Kang Minwoo Kim Mohammed Kandash A Binsaleh Morgan Alan Hansen Mosato Moriyama Nasir Ali Francisco Martinez Nathaniel Perdomo Nevada Pierce Randall Nicholas Passino Nicholas Whitcomb Sganga Noel Nathaniel Alejo Lirio Octavio Garcia Garcia Parker Swain Maull Peter Bermudez Peter Silva Cuthbert Phillip Joseph Nacoste II Rachel Ann Keisling Rafael Kienge Meleji Ralph Patrick Co Read Anthony Phelps

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_____________________________ Aaryan Pal Abdulelah Abdullah T Althinayyan Aidan Frederick Ryan Murray Aldreaka Battle Alexander Thomas Shoemaker Allen Joseph Warren Allison Rose Tiano Alyssa Angela Farruggio Amy Christine Whelan Andre Anthony Mitchell Andre Javier Rivera Perez Andrea Van Vlaanderen Andrew David Chiariello Angelina Emme Samaroo Anne Michelle Taylor Antonio Miguel Gutierrez Aron Nicholas Zbick Austin Maybury Downs Austin Tyler Sanders Bailey Marie Mickelson Ben Christopher Neubig Benjamin Philip Mortimer David Benjamin Schwartz Muenzer Bodan Choi Bongkyun Park Boogun Cho Brandon Anthony Perras Brennan Ray Anderson Brett Charles Farley Brittany Alyssa Stratton Bryce Matthew Lehrer Bryce Morgan Davis Bumkyu Koh Byungjun Moon Caden Foster James Cameron Marco Langone Caroline Bea Gaillet Casey Ryan Geist Charles Joseph Fusco

Chloe Sahara Billman Christopher Fontaine Richardson Christopher Richard Gundrey Chun Ting Alex Fung Clay Burton Moates Connor Jon Veysey Connor Stephen Cvetan Connor Thomas Faught Constantin Magnus Strompen Daniel Enrique Acevedo Traverso David Matthew Blash Derek James Coppola Diana Romanovskaya Domenico Charles Rizzo Doyeon Kwon Dylan Thomas Tolley Emily Catherine Arnold Emily Grace Micallef Emmanuel Derek Aragon Ethan John Matteson Evan Joel Villanueva Fadi Fahad A Alghamdi Freud Luigi Jeantilus Gage Samuel Altrock Guillaume Franck Andre Aime Chevrier Han Kyu Park Hayley Addison Kudey Heinrich Adriaanse Helen Alexandra Carey Henrique Ullmann Hunter Michael Haas Hyeong Su Lee Hyo Chang Yoo Ian Yj Park Jack Morris Jones Jacob Mitchell Horne Jae Woong Cho Jaehyun Kim Jaemin Son Jaeyeon Jung Jared John Pofi Jason Null Hulbert Jhaden Lavon Sydnor

Ethan Wood / The Avion Brandon Berkoff / The Avion ERAU Cessna 172 taxis down the Flight Line just after sundown.

Ethan Wood / The Avion

ERAU Cessna 172 roars to life while the sun sets.

Ji Sang Yoo Jimin Ahn Jinsil Choi Jiyeon Song Joan Sunet Scutary Joao Lucas De Castro Alves John Biong Ricafort John Charles Ciganovich John Maure Saba V Jonah Sung-Lai Chiu Jonathan Anthony Papavasiliou Joseph Edward Padera Joseph Harold Dickinson Joseph Michael Hatam Joseph Ryan Halleran Julian Phillip Thomas Justin Andrew Chirco Kent Taguri Ura Kevin Gabriel Gelin Kevin Harold Grassel Kevin Jun Xu Kevin Leigh Myers Jr. Ki Wan Kim Kiana Marie Mcquade Kiwon Cha Kristopher Berge Wonders Larry Robert Craig Lin Shi Louis Bernard Picq Louis Joseph Gangemi Luke Joseph Welch Luke Marvin Bartens Luke Maximus Koschnick Luke William Barreire Lylith Palmer Turner Marcos Piastre Marshall Christian Hughes Mary Elizabeth O’Brien Matthew Ramon Diaz Maurice Alexander Gauthier

FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SINGLE ENGINE (417A)

FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR INSTRUMENT (417I)

Abigail Grace Kienast Alex Oi Alexander James Ilibasic Alexandra Nicole Daley Ander Turueno Garcia Boden David Gould Bohyun Park Brendan Francis Power Christopher John Schaefer Jr Christopher W Cai Dallas Raymond Roman Daniel Liu Richardson Diogo Soares Horta Donghyun Yoo Eric Robert Nguyen Burritt Ethan Junghyun William Hellofs Fangyu Cheng Gal Hadar Iny Gyeongjun Min Haewon Park Haye Gong Ho Yong Lee Hyun Myung Kim Jackson Scott Gill Jaebeom Park Jaejoong Kim Jaemin Jang Jaeseung Lim Jeeseo Nam Jenna Andreanna Odom Jeongju Park Ji Won Kim Jihoon Kim Jinhang Chen John Michael Tasko Joohyeon Kim Jun Yong Lee Junhyeong Choi Junyong Baik Kai Daivid Stahly Kyungho Shin Kyutae Bae Leonardo Acosta Luis Guillermo Sanz Vilches Matheus Mariano Vianello Minjae Kim Minsung Kang Mintae Kim Minwoo Kim Nathaniel Deron West Nicholas Alexander Ausburn Nicholas Joseph Repace Nicholas Ryan Compagnone Pranav Gupta Robert Nicholas Sabow Samuel Paul Dahan

Ander Turueno Garcia Boden David Gould Boogun Cho Brandon Kotaro Yamamoto Changsoo Han Christopher W Cai Connor Jon Veysey Daniel Liu Richardson Dong Hwan Kim Dong Kyun Ko Ethan Aaron Abramson Ethan Junghyun William Hellofs Hae Joon Lee Haewon Park Hi Jun Cho Ho Jin Jung Ho Yong Lee Hyun Soo Chae Hyunjun Chung Jackson Scott Gill Jae Woong Cho Jaebeom Park Jaejoong Kim Jaemin Jang Jaeseung Lim Jeeseo Nam Jeongju Park John Michael Tasko Joohyeon Kim Joseph Michael Kerr Jun Yong Lee Junhyeong Choi Kiana Marie Mcquade Kwang Mu Lee Kyle Daniel Barbour Kyutae Bae Luis Guillermo Sanz Vilches Marcus Daniel Leonard Matthew Ramon Diaz Matthew Ryan Kennedy Maurice Alexander Gauthier Maxwell Thomas Minervini Michael Fitzpatrick Heffernan III Michael Joseph Taylor Jr Minwoo Kim Myunghun Yoo Nathaniel Deron West Nicholas Alexander Ausburn Nicholas Andrew Emer Nicholas Casto Wright Nicholas Joseph Repace Nicholas Ryan Compagnone Paul Egan Rachel Sherrod Arrotta Riley Banks Weathersby Riley Jonah Montondo

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Robert James Luzzi Robert Nicholas Sabow Ryan Wayne Pierson Salim Mohammed Taher Samuel Paul Dahan Samuel Schlanger Sangbeom Woo Sangwhan Kim Se Min Hong Sebastian Calderon Ortiz Sebastian Eric Robert Wood Seong Bok Jeon Serin Kim Seunghyuk Han Shashank Bharadwaj Begur Shunsuke Hyodo Siarm Cho Sihyun Lee Simon Foster Lovely Siwoo Song

FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR MULTIENGINE ADD-ON (460)

_____________________________ Anushka Devi Maharaj Gawon Lee Kai-Hao Ko Ki Jun Han Saiful Jihad Wan Park Won Chan Park Zen B Manwani

Joshua Choo / The Avion

ERAU Cessna 172 on short final for runway 25R at DAB while a Delta 737-900 holds short.

Issue 2, Fall 2023

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The Avion is produced monthly during the fall term. 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 within 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 1200 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 both the Student Government Association and through advertising fees. The Avion distributes one free copy per person. Additional copies are $0.69. Theft of newspapers is a crime, and is subject to prosecution and Embry-Riddle judicial action. This magazine 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.