Issue 3 | Volume 153 | February 10, 2020
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University theavion.com | (386) 226-6049
A Campus B Entertainment C Sports
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Beyond BBQP: What is the SVO? Chris Walsh Correspondent
In a school full of strange sub-populations, there is a group that goes out of its way, at least weekly, to make its presence heard, seen, smelled and… tasted? Every Thursday, pedestrians on The Legacy Walk are treated to the sights, sounds, and delicious BBQ of the Student Veterans Organization (SVO), but is there more to this rambunctious club than offering weekly reprieve from food court dining? In fact, there is! The Student Veterans Organization is the ERAU Daytona campus’s chapter of the Student Veterans of America national organization and as such it is a veteran-focused social and service club that has several functional facets to include student veteran advocacy, club social events, and community service. The SVO’s overarching mission on campus is to advocate for the veteran population and promote veteran quality of life and outcomes at Embry-Riddle. The SVO achieves this by providing a vital connection between the student veterans and the various resources available at ERAU and in the local community. The SVO makes these resources improves access by providing a peer-to-peer The SVO works handin-hand with ERAU Veteran Student Services and this mutually benefits both organizations’ goals by improving reach and engagement across campus through events like Veterans Week. It is also important
to note that the Veteran Representative to the Student Government and Student Representative Board is typically is also an executive member in the SVO, allowing student veterans to have a consistently well informed, and active voice in campus affairs. Resources mean very little, however, without membership, and the club’s social events are integral to the function of the club! The SVO organizes regular social activities for members in order to serve its members and promote veteran well-being. The SVO hosts beach outings, cookouts, shooting-range days, and various other social events to provide its members with healthy outlets for stress. The SVO also provides funding for members to participate in activities hosted by other organizations, such as trips with the Outsiders, run by the Fitness and Wellness Center. Social and physical activities are key to positive outcomes for veterans after transitioning to civilian life. Much of the club’s activities are paid for by the weekly BBQ sales that the club is primarily known for, so you can be sure that not only are you buying some delicious food, but you’re supporting a good cause as well! The SVO does more than party, though, and it is involved in philanthropy and community service, providing members with opportunities to give back meaningfully to the community. Service projects provide the SVO with meaningful involvement in the community and a way to bring val-
ue to the ERAU campus at large. The SVO regularly participates in the Oaklynn Cemetery clean up in cooperation with Brotherhood Riders veteran Motorcycle Club. The SVO also recently concluded Operation Re-Supply, a mid-year school supply drive, in which the SVO was able to provide Westside Elementary School with a significant infusion of various school supplies to help finish out the school year. Every spring the SVO is responsible for putting on the Capra Memorial 5k, in honor of the Embry-Riddle student veteran, Zachary Capra – who tragically died, April 4th, 2018. All proceeds from that race go to a flight scholarship established in Zach’s name. The Student Veterans Organization has a significant presence beyond ERAU and that presence is increasing. Recently, the SVO became a part of the newly formed Volu-
sia-Flagler Veterans Assembly, an organization established to create a cohesive and cooperative network of veteran organizations in the local area. Through this assembly, the SVO is being consulted by other institutions looking to establish/ grow their own veterans clubs. The ERAU SVO is being asked to help guide the formation and/or growth of similar clubs at Bethune-Cookman University, the Palmer College of Chiropractic, the Daytona Police Department, and even Embry-Riddle World Wide! The SVO meets weekly at 5:30pm on Thursdays in SU210 “The Chambers” in the Student Union. Feel free to come and see what they are about if you’re interested in getting involved! Contrary to popular belief, The SVO is open to and very welcoming to non-veteran members!
Alex Lee/The Avion Newspaper
THE AVION
A2 Campus Executive Board
Editor-in-Chief Vipul Telang
editor@theavion.com
Managing Editor Alani Seaman managing@theavion.com
News Editor Oliver Du Bois
news@theavion.com
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Business Manager Alex Lee business@theavion.com
Page Editors Cover Editors Vipul Telang Alani Seaman Campus Editors Vipul Telang Oliver Du Bois Alex Lee Brandon Etwarroo Alani Seaman Entertainment Editors Vipul Telang Victoria Jordan Alani Seaman Sports Editors Alani Seaman Connor Adair Korbin Martin Megan Fletcher Chirag Mehrotra Comics Editor Alex Lee Copy Editors Sarah Fairchild Brandon Etwarroo Chirag Mehrotra
Contributors Reporters Photographers
Oliver Du Bois Alani Seaman Korbin Martin Jack Rachek Dr. Frederick Rev. Keck Sarah Fairchild
Alani Seaman Korbin Martin Chaz Pokracki Connor Strobel Chris Elwell Sarah Fairchild Jack Rachek
Correspondents
Alexandria Gambos, Megan Fletcher, Ryan Mosher, Sophie Jorgensen, Chris Walsh, Nicholas Hernandez
Staff Advisor Ronnie Mack
Assistant Director of Orientation & Communications
Contact Information (386) 226-6049 theavion.com 1 Aerospace Blvd, SU 219 Daytona Beach, FL 32114 @theavionnewspaper u/theavionnewspaper @The_Avion @TheAvion
relationship advice
weekly
Reverend David Keck & Dr. Christina Frederick
Dear HumanE Factors, What advice would you give someone before they enter a relationship that might help their relationship go more smoothly? Good Question! Would we all like to know the relevant facts before we enter a situation that’s important to us? To help answer this question, we queried some students on campus, and here are a couple of insights they had. “Don’t assume there is something wrong just because I’m not talking to you, or I’m quiet for a while.” This advice came from a male student, and it was directed toward women. He said that guys think about lots of stuff, and most of the time, if a relationship is going well, it isn’t about the relationship. So, silence, in this case, is golden and a good thing! “Ask about political affiliation early and be honest.” Interesting advice for any person. It is a fact that polarization between political parties is significant right now and has become a common disqualifier on online dating sites. It seems the assumption from my students is that dating across political parties is difficult right now, if not downright impossible, and it’s best to puts your political views on the table right away to avoid later heartbreak. “Take your time and get to know me as a person.” This advice was from a female student but could be applied to anyone. Slow down; there’s no rush. If you go slow and try to get to know someone, if things don’t work, you can exit at any time in a reasonably uncomplicated manner. However, if you move too quickly to a serious relationship, if things go sideways, it’s a much harder break-up for both parties. “College messy.”
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relationships
can
be
This from a very practical student. He stated that if you want a relationship with someone on this campus, realize that if it doesn’t work, you still have to see them, and maybe even have classes with them until you both graduate. This is not a large place, and avoiding someone for any length of time will prove to be impossible. Whether you decide to wait until after college to pursue a relationship or not, realize the potential downside of dating where you learn! “If it doesn’t work for one person, it just doesn’t work.” This is advice from me and my many…long years of experience. Sometimes this situation occurs as a result of a lack of effort by one person. Fundamentally, any relationship is about reciprocity (i.e., back and forth, give and take, effort on both people’s parts). If there is no reciprocity on one side, the person doing all the work should feel things aren’t working, and it is perfectly ok to say so. In other cases, maybe there is adequate give and take, but the relationship doesn’t work for you for different reasons. Speak up! You may be able to fix things, but sometimes two people aren’t right for one another, no matter how much you try, how nice they might be, or how perfect you look together! If it doesn’t work for even one person in the pair, whether that person is you or not, the relationship doesn’t work. Realize this and use it as an opportunity to end things in a friendly manner. “The biggest piece of advice I can give, that no one ever listens to and they always regret not taking it more seriously is: Slow down. Take your time. Don’t ignore red flags just because you like the person, because you won’t be able to change those things later on. Get to know the person and make sure they are actually what you are
looking for before fully committing to them. So many people rush into a relationship because it’s exciting and fun, and wind up settling for someone with faults that they cannot change or live with. Then they get trapped in an unhealthy partnership because, by the time they realize how wrong the person is for them, the emotional bond has already been formed.” “Overcommunicate, if something is bothering, you be upfront about it. Don’t overthink; just talk to them about it.” You would think that communication would be easy. As a species, we have been using language for thousands of years. But somehow, each generation, indeed, each person has to learn it all over for himself or herself. Direct, honest speech is, more often than not, appreciated if the speaker genuinely cares about the best interests of the other person. “I would say, be honest, and make your needs known! Laying out expectations early is the best way to achieve smooth sailing.” Speaking of honest speech, practice honesty. Be honest with yourself and your own needs so that you can be honest with others. It’s simple but effective. “Personally, I strongly believe that you need to become friends first. By becoming friends first, you l get to know about their habits, things they like/ don’t like, hobbies, childhood, future goals/ aspirations. This allows for a couple to be able to work better based on previous habits and such. The biggest thing for me about getting to be friends first is that everything is comfortable between the couple, and there isn’t any tension and allows for a more open communication line between the couple.”
THE AVION
Campus A3 Take Note!
The UX of Digital Note-Taking Programs
Alexandria is an undergraduate researcher 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 explores different technologies typically used by Embry-Riddle students. Alexandria Gombas Undergraduate Researcher “What’s the best way to take notes?” is a question that every college student has to find the answer to at some point. Many professors advocate the traditional handwritten paper notes, and some students agree it helps them learn, while other students depend on typing to keep up. There is an increasing number of apps and programs available, but what programs do ERAU students primarily use to take their notes? Twenty-two students were surveyed to find what the most important features were to them and why, and six respondents were chosen to follow up with interviews. The data collected was then used to compare the main three programs that participants indicated that they used: Microsoft Word, OneNote, and Google Docs.
Image Courtesy/Alexandria Gombas
OneNote allows a mixture of handwriting and typing side by side.
their notes, and these students said they used it because it was familiar and already installed on their computer. The distribution of use among the participating students was equal with five students each using Word and Google Docs, and four students using OneNote. Three other students used apps that were designed specifically for note-taking on a tablet. Overall, students reported that they take notes on a computer because it was just easier for them in the long run; they could type faster than they
them to do what they wanted on a page) appeared to be the second most important feature. Automatic saving, the convenience of use (how easy it is to use and access), and the speed (at which the program can run) were all tightly grouped, interchangeable in their importance. Accessibility of the files (are you limited in how or from where you can access the file) falls just behind the speed. These features also explained the reasons that students said they use a computer. These include keeping up in class (speed), ease of or-
well known as multiple students who used OneNote indicated that they would like one. Google Docs does not have handwriting input, which puts it at a disadvantage with users on 2-in1 devices or tablets where students prefer to write their notes into a document, or who are creating diagrams. However, it is still preferred by students because Word and OneNote often require the use of personal devices to have consistent access where they are. Overall, how you take notes on a computer is the most significant determining factor in what program is best. All of the participants who noted that they frequently used OneNote said that it was because of how well it took handwriting input. However, those on tablets, who all paid for the programs they used, use other apps designed specifically for the iPad, such as GoodNotes. In the inter-
Image Courtesy/Alexandria Gombas
Feature table of the most popular programs. Asterisks (*) indicate that the feature does exist, but users were unaware of it or stated that they could not get it to work. Image Courtesy/Alexandria Gombas
The most used programs for note-taking on a computer.
Students were asked how often they took notes on a computer and which program they primarily used. We found that those who always took notes on their computer used OneNote, except one person who used a tablet and the GoodNotes app to do so, and most reported it was because of how they can write or draw diagrams into their notes with a stylus. Using a stylus makes it easier for the user to make notes on a typed document, and it allows for natural handwriting, just on a screen instead of paper. OneNote provides for full use of stylus functions. Google Docs was mostly used by those whose digital note-taking depended on the situation, such as when they were working on something else on a computer, collaborating, or there were notes for a larger project. Microsoft Word was most common for those who only occasionally reported typing
wrote; the notes were neater and easier to organize; they had access to them anywhere, and they didn’t have to redraw diagrams from powerpoints in class. A majority of participants, regardless of whether they use a computer for notes, reported that they preferred to handwrite their notes because they were able to recall the information better. This is why the increasing acceptance of handwriting input, or the ability to write notes on a computer, is so crucial for tech companies. The six students who hand wrote notes on the computer liked that it kept them together, allowed easy sharing with peers and that they didn’t have to carry around a notebook or papers. Students were also asked to rank the most important features to them in a note-taking program. The most important feature was the handwriting input. Flexibility of use (allowing
ganizing (flexibility), being easier to use (convenience), and keeping notes together (handwriting), except for autosaving, which is just an essential feature of any digital program. The top features were used to compare the three leading platforms. Students reported that features such as handwriting input, autosaving, accessing files, and the ability to share or collaborate are crucial to their use of a program and that the convenience of using the program also plays a role in their decision making. Google Docs and Word both were reported to be convenient because Word is already on all of the school computers, and Google Docs is accessible from anywhere reasonably quickly. Google Docs is also used because of its easy collaboration, which Word technically has, though it requires both parties to go through a series of steps that aren’t always intuitive or functional. OneNote has a collaborative feature, though it’s not
view, they responded that free apps like OneNote or Evernote didn’t work well for them, and didn’t do what they needed. Google Docs appears to be the top choice of students who type their notes because of its convenience, both in use and in accessing the files, sharing, and the speed of use. Google Docs works on any of the school or personal computers, and even other devices. Word is installed on the school computers, but there are frequent complaints made by students of Word crashing in the classrooms. Microsoft Word is mostly for those who don’t take notes on a computer regularly and use what they have easy access to. The cost of technology prevents students from buying and using them, such as an iPad or Apple Pen. The best way to find a program and to take notes with it is to sample a wide range of possibilities and see which best matches your needs and situation.
THE AVION
A4 Campus
Internship Opportunities at Pratt and Whitney
Megan Fletcher Correspondent DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Brittney Kuzenski, University Relations and Diversity Recruiting, and Paul Lepre, Aftermarket Engineering Development Program, came to recruit and speak to students about Pratt and Whitney (P&W) in the COB on Monday, Feb. 3 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. All internships are paid. If you travel over 50 miles, you will receive a $2,000 housing stipend. Pratt also allows international students to work on commercial engines rather than military engines. Before (P&W) can hire foreign nationals, it must file labor certifications with DOL (Depa rtment of Labor). The application can be approved, withdrawn, or denied by the DOL. If you have 30 credits or more, Pratt brings you in as an intern with
the intention of you becoming a rotational employee. Their internship program allows you the opportunity to network and meet lots of people. “We look for a lot of people that have a green belt and black belt type areas or at least understand lead manufacturing or lead principles. Our big focus for 2020 is to maximize the customer experience and cultural transformation and increase financial performance. In the past, Pratt used to be more of a militaristic field, and we are moving towards a more inclusive mindset where we have more flexible working arrangements,” said Kuzenski. P&W is also looking for people to fill their data analytic positions because they are highly valuable to the company. “Data Analytics and data insight is really good in predicting future maintenance visits, understanding
different customers and their expectations, proactively monitoring the health of engines on the wing and improving enterprise performance,” said Kuzenski. There are so many opportunities to give back to the community at P&W. They have community outreach programs, including United Way at their East Hartford headquarters, and they try to help military families and veterans by bringing them back into the workplace. There are also Employee Resource Groups, including the African American Forum, Asian American Leadership Forum, UTC for Vets, Women’s Counsel, NextGen, and more. “I’m a part of NextGen, where we really interact with interns. We try to understand what the next generation is looking for,” said Kuzenski. After working for P&W for at least
one year, they will provide an education package for you to complete a Master’s degree. At the Spring 2020 Career Fair at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, there will be a few representatives from P&W. Kuzenski encourages students to research what Pratt does and connect what you are doing at school to the workplace, so hiring managers know you are accountable and passionate about that project. “It’s really about coming out of your shell. Just that extra mile that will differentiate you between a hirable senior versus someone that is very passionate about what they do,” said Kuzenski. For more information, check out Pratt’s social media pages and visit jobs.pw.utc.com for available opportunities.
Women Leading the Way: Pratt and Whitney Panel DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Pratt and Whitney (P&W) women leaders shared their personal stories to students in a Q and A panel discussion on Tuesday, Feb. 4 in the Henderson Welcome Center from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The panel included Karie Newsome, Southeast Regional Office Delivery Assurance Manager, Susie Conley, Control and Diagnostic Systems-Engine System Software Manager, and Carrie-Anne Winquist, F135 TEC/Aug Hot Section Project Manager. Did you like what you did over the years? “When I look back over the years, I like what I did. I did what I wanted. I did what I was passionate about.
Sophie Jorgensen Correspondent
I can’t stress that enough. Sometimes I find people do things to advance, but then they’re unhappy. When you’re working 40 hour work week, you need to like what you do,” said Winquist. Is it intimidating to be a women engineer? “In my college classes, I was like one of two women in engineering. When I started at Pratt, there were a few, but I never let it stop me and never thought I was different from any other engineers in the room. I think that has a lot to do with it. I knew I knew my stuff, and I knew that I could do it. Some of the meetings I sat in were a little intimidating because I was the only female in the room,” said Conley.
Are you limited at P&W? “You are definitely not limited here. The opportunities are boundless. I started off in my dream job. You guys are just starting your careers. Give it a shot. Take a look at what’s out there. It may not be exactly what you’re looking for right now, but it’s an experience that you won’t forget and will grow from. When I first came in, I thought this was just a male-dominated workplace, so I was a little hesitant at first. I wasn’t sure what to think. When I walked in, there were women on the shop floor and women in senior management roles. When I actually went to my suppliers, there were more women on the shop floor, which shocked me. I think for me, that was the one thing that
stood out,” said Newsome. What can students do to improve their interpersonal skills? “One thing you could do is get comfortable speaking on the phone,” said Winquist. “We have gotten so used to using WebEX. There are sometimes people on the third floor, the second floor, the first floor, and the guy sitting next to me on the same WebEX. I do value relationships, especially face-to-face. Once you get comfortable speaking faceto-face, it’s so much easier to use WebEX. It’s also so much harder to build a relationship over the phone. So, sometimes we start WebEX with a little small talk to get people comfortable,” said Conley.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Women Engineers
On Feb. 8, 2020, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) hosted Introduce a Girl to Engineering Workshop (IGEW). This all-day, free event brought over 230 3rd through 5th grade girls from all over Volusia County to the Embry-Riddle campus. Over the course of the day, 55 volunteers instructed the girls though five fun, educational, and engaging modules covering many
Connor Strobel/The Avion Newspaper
aspects of STEM. Through IGEW, SWE hopes to encourage and inspire young girls to pursue STEM fields and empower them to be who they want to be. Event volunteers and module leaders understand what it is like as a woman in STEM, and they hope that they can be the role models that they wish they had growing up. By creating a warm, welcoming environment in which attendees can ask questions, be creative, and be themselves, volunteers show girls that STEM is somewhere they can thrive. The 2020 modules encompassed many STEM concepts and engineering disciplines, including aerospace, civil, chemical, and mechanical. Volunteers guided attendees through the following modules: Marble Rollercoasters, the Leaning Tower of Pasta, Cargo Airplanes, Jiggle Putty, and Bouncy Balls. Attendees learned about
the engineering processes and science behind each module and discussed concepts like elasticity, aerodynamics, energy, and more. Each module focused on allowing questions, creativity, and teamwork, which allowed attendees to feel comfortable expressing themselves. By the end of the day, girls had gained not only lots of scientific knowledge and fun experiences but also the knowledge that they can pursue anything they like, no matter their gender. Each attendee got to take home a t-shirt, a goodie bag with an activity booklet, a pamphlet highlighting pioneering women in STEM, coloring sheets created by SWE members, and assorted stickers and gifts, as well as anything they created during the day. SWE hopes that IGEW can get young women excited and passionate about STEM fields and that they
will continue to pursue their passions even after the day has ended. Attendees are bright, driven young women who will undoubtedly go on to do great things in their futures, and SWE is honored to be able to inspire them.
Connor Strobel/The Avion Newspaper
THE AVION
Campus A5 The Road to AMC Sheet Metal
Sarah Fairchild Chief Copy Editor The road to AMC begins in the sheet metal lab. Nestled in the far west end of the Aviation Maintenance Science building, the metal structures workshop is one of the largest rooms in the building. A set of eight worktables spans half of the room; the stations padded sufficiently to prevent damage to the materials and tools used by the students.
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It is here, in this lab, where the fundamental principles of tooling and machining are taught: a skill that will be rigorously tested in this year’s Aerospace Maintenance Competition.
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Students working towards their A&P certificate will spend an average of 112 hours in this lab, learning everything from installing proper safety wire to fabricating an entire section of an aircraft wing. Professors Ian Wheeler, Isaac Martinez, and Jim Malis oversee the student’s work, each with their impressive repertoire of knowledge to share with the future technicians. Of the 29 events in the AMC, five are familiar projects performed by the AMS undergraduates in the sheet metal lab. 1) Safety Wiring An event created and run by UPS; the safety wiring challenge presents competitors with the ability to test one of the most basic and critical skills in the industry. The solo contestant will have 15 minutes to correctly safety a myriad of fasteners and bolts together per the FAA regulations. After the time is called, or once the competitor has finished
safety wiring all of the hardware, an inspector will grade the work accordingly. Things such as the number of twists-per-inch, the length and neatness of the pigtail, and proper wiring direction to ensure the safe function of the fastener will be critically observed. 2) Flex Fluid Lines A seemingly simple event created by the US Air Force, this challenge is more complicated than it might first appear to be. The task presented to a team of two is to measure out an 11.5-inch length of flexible hose, then attach and install the proper fitting onto each end of the line. Precautions like over clamping, pinching the tube between the inner sleeves, and over-torquing the nut during installation can severely impact the team’s score if not done correctly. 3) E-Drill Fastener Removal Every AMS student has faced the struggle of removing and installing rivets by hand. The process is time-consuming and arduous, with a high level of tool competency and finesse required to prevent damaging the structure of the aircraft. The E-Drill Fastener Removal event was created by Perfect Point to demonstrate a faster way of removing rivets. Using the E-Drill, a solo competitor will test their speed as they rush to remove as many titanium rivets and fasteners as possible in the 15 minute time frame. A critical juncture with this challenge is to ensure no removal debris (such as broken heads and metal shavings) remains on the event stand once the removal process is complete. This penalty presents a way to simulate real-world consequences of foreign object damage, and the judges will deduct points accordingly if the debris is not cleaned up. 4) Non-Destructive Testing Of the many ways to determine if
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An in-progress airfoil, with the ribs, top, and bottom skins held together with Cleco clamps.
Sarah Fairchild/The Avion Newspaper
A finished airfoil created in the AMS sheet metal structures lab. Complete with inspection window, inspection panel, and leading edge.
an aircraft has sustained damage, Non-Destructive Testing (or NDT) is a common practice throughout the aviation industry. AAR’s Non-Destructive Testing event focuses on magnetic particle inspection: a process in which ferrous components are charged with a current and inspected for damage. Two members of each team will be assigned to check a part for cracks, before determining if it qualifies as an airworthy or unairworthy condition. This inspection skill is not only used in the sheet metal lab here at ERAU but also with immense frequency in the AMS repair station. 5) Airframe Damage Inspection This year, Alaska Airlines has provided a common obstacle for aviation technicians in the form of the Airframe Damage Inspection event. Measuring and repairing dents and damage to an aircraft is commonplace in the maintenance field. At the event, two contestants will use the dentCHECK tool to observe a myriad of damages and dents on the leading edge of an airfoil caused by severe hail. Within
Sarah Fairchild/The Avion Newspaper
Properly installed safety wire without a proper pigtail twist at the floating end.
the time limit, they must determine the depth and width of the damaged areas and provide a logbook entry reporting their findings. For a bonus to their score, the teams may choose to identify other detriments and record those as well. While each task is daunting in its own unique way, the skills and abilities acquired in the metallic structures’ lab at ERAU help to keep our teams one step ahead. Having access to the equipment and tools needed for the events is half of the battle, and thanks to the incredible support of the AMS department, our two teams will be well on their way down the road to becoming this year’s AMC champions.
Photo Courtesy/Disney
THE AVION
B2 Entertainment Rise of the Resistance
Nicholas Hernandez Correspondent At Disney's Hollywood Studios, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the crown jewel of Galaxy's Edge. It is now Disney's most technologically advanced ride to date, including a combined trackless dark ride, walk-through, motion simulator, and drop ride system all into one E-Ticket attraction. With over five million lines of code behind its operation controlling 65 animatronics, 38 trackless carts, projection mapping, and numerous screens, you can only see it to truly believe it. Rise of the Resistance is marketed as an experience rather than just a ride. The reason why is because as soon as you step into the queue, you have become a “resistance spy.” The queue runs throughout a resistance base, where you can see crates with supplies, an armory, and a few war rooms. As you continue through the walking queue, using your datapad on the 'Play Disney' app, you can scan some of the crates and learn more about what the resistance is planning. Once you near the end of the queue, you enter into a briefing room with BB-8 greeting you. Once everyone is in the briefing room, a hologram of Rey appears and asks for your help. After the brief is over, you exit into an outdoor area with Poe Dameron’s X-wing, and an Intersystem Transport Ship (I-TS) waiting for you. To accommodate the massive flow of people getting on the ride, you do not get much time to look around this area. As soon as the doors to the ship open, you are ushered aboard, and soon leave the planet to accomplish your mission. The ship is designed to hold 30-50 people, so there are no chairs and only handrails to hold on to. This
part is truly amazing, in the cabin of the ship you are greeted by two incredibly lifelike animatronics of Nien Nunb and Lieutenant Bek, who tell you to hold on while the shuttle jolts and shakes with every movement projected onto the windows around you. Once in space, you are intercepted by TIE Fighters, and are ultimately seized by the First Order, followed by General Hux’s Star Destroyer. The door you entered from earlier opens to reveal the inside of what looks like a massive ship hanger with 50 animatronic Stormtroopers lined up alongside your ship. Disney was able to pull off this trick by having the transport reside on a turntable, very similar to how Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run works, by slowly rotating you while the pre-show happens. The hangar boasts a 100-foot-long, high definition screen to display the vastness of space, and sometimes a TIE fighter or two. As you are guided out of the transport by a First Order Officer, you can see a life-sized TIE fighter above the hallway you are about to enter. As you walk down the halls of the Star Destroyer, you can notice that Disney Imagineers spared no detail to make you feel as if you indeed are on one. At the end of the hallway, you come face-toface with a First Order Officer who guides you through the detention block to your interrogation room. As you are waiting to enter the interrogation room, you can see two lifelike Stormtrooper animatronics who move their heads side-to-side, as if to look at you while you’re walking down the hall and raise and lower their blasters accordingly. The Officers are entirely in their elements, keeping character and willing to scold you if you step out of line.
Image Courtesy: Disney
Rise of the Resistance Level 1 floor plan
Once split up into groups, you enter into your interrogation room to notice that above the door is a screen showing a platform with a Stormtrooper looking into your cell. Soon after, General Hux and Kylo Ren appear on the platform where they ask for information about the resistance base. A neat effect in this room is the two's shadow appears across parts of your room, imitating that they are actually above you. Kylo uses the Force to intimidate the guests, making the room go dark, and sounds play to mimic the Force being used on each guest. General Hux soon informs Kylo Ren that he is needed on the bridge, leaving you alone in the room. Soon after, one of the panels on the wall starts hissing, and scorch marks begin appearing around the border. It looks as if someone is cutting into the room from the other side. Once the cut is complete, the wall is pulled back, revealing Resistance troops and two trackless ride vehicles piloted by droids. These vehicles are continually communicating with each other. As soon as you buckle up and leave
Image Courtesy: CGNS News Reviews & Bobby Sussman
Rise of the Resistance Level 1 floor plan
the loading area, the cars are spinning around each other and even interact with two more that are going to replace them in the loading area. You are taken down the enormous halls of the Star Destroyer, only to come into contact with more Stormtroopers. These troopers start blasting at you, leaving holes in walls and scorch marks on crates. This effect is truly amazing, instead just putting red lights everywhere, Imagineers decided to go above and beyond to make it feel like your life was really in danger. You then back up into a room of two full-sized AT-AT's. Your vehicle begins to panic as your only means of escape have been cut off. You end up backing into separate elevators, running into Finn along the way, where he instructs you to take the elevator down to get to the escape pods. But of course, nothing in an escape plan can go smoothly, so the lifts go up instead. Since there are two vehicles, and two AT-AT's, the Imagineers decided that one cart would see one head-on, and the other along its side. Once at the top, each vehicle gets a peek inside the AT-AT before troopers decide to fire on you. Your vehicle backs out of the elevator into a hallway, watching as walls begin to develop holes due to the AT-AT’s massive cannons you were just in front of. From here, you enter the bridge of the star destroyer, witnessing Hux and Kylo Ren discussing the battle at hand, when Kylo notices your transports. The cart then reels backward towards what looks like another elevator, and just as the doors closed, you can see Kylo Ren with his lightsaber. With the elevator doors closed, Kylo’s lightsaber appears in the ceiling, cutting a hole, attempting to get in. It is very realistic, with the scorch marks forming around the blade as it cuts through the steel like butter. This next area is truly a marvel of engineering. The vehicles enter a gun room, with three massive cannons on your left, and the ongoing space battle on your right. These cannons are continuously firing, recoiling after every shot, and repositioning themselves right in front of your cart. This room is very nerve-wracking because these guns are massive, and if the cart moves at the wrong time, you fear you might get pushed out into space. >>Continued on B2<<
sion rips open a side of the room, pulling Kylo out and freeing you from his grasp. The Imagineers thought of numerous backup plans. When the animatronic fails in this room, one of the windows begins to depict Kylo in his TIE Silencer, also using the Force to pull the vehicle, but instead of him getting pulled into space, Poe
shoots the Silencer and frees you. The cars turn around and enter into an escape pod. This final sequence of the ride is the most intense. The vehicles latch into place before the pods drop, there is a 10-20 ft drop here to simulate you being sent into space in an escape pod. You witness the battle occurring before your eyes above the planet of
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>>Continued from B2<< But the technology created by the Imagineers proves faithful once again, as you head into a vast room with a screen showing Finn, telling every resistance spy to get off the ship. Immediately after, Kylo Ren appears, grabbing onto the vehicles with the Force, moving them around sporadically, until an explo-
Entertainment B3
Batuu before you crash land back at Black Spire Outpost. Once leaving the escape pod, you are exited back out into the land of Galaxy’s edge, a flawless ride exit. Disney has outdone itself by creating an experience worth waiting for!
Rise of the Resistance… Rise Early, Only to Watch its Fall Nicholas Hernandez Correspondent
Rise of the Resistance earns its title as most advanced in the park. But with this title comes a lot of technical challenges, as this ride seems to break down at least once a day. Such setbacks are more frustrating to guests who want to ride due to its boarding group process. To even get on the ride, you need to obtain a boarding pass, which is distributed through the My Disney Experience app once the park opens. The only problem is that the ride has accumulated a very large audience, forming lines at the entrance to the park up to two hours before the park even opens.
before the posted opening time, you might not get one. Disney guests expressed their displeasure, especially those who stayed on property with no resort transportation until an hour before the park opens, leaving them no room to get a boarding pass. The higher-ups at Hollywood Studios heard the complaints and decided to change how these passes were obtained. Now the passes will no longer be distributed before the posted park open time, meaning the first come first serve tactic is no longer valid. They are giving ample time to guests staying on property to have a fair chance. Now that the boarding group
situation has been settled, the actual ride is still in need of a look over. With so many moving parts, there are more and more frequent breakdowns. In the first week of opening, the ride had several hours of downtime during the day. In part to any number of things such as a malfunctioning droid vehicle, or an inoperative animatronic, the list goes on. While downtime has shrunk exponentially, it is still a problem. It is one of the most sought after rides at Hollywood Studios. Disney has tried to accommodate those who are affected by giving out fast passes for the same day return to ride again once it is back up, or if the ride is down a good portion
of the day like, the first two days, they offered single day park hoppers as an option. There are still plenty of things to do in Hollywood studios in the downtime, including other E-Ticket attractions, such as the Tower of Terror, Rock’n Roller-coaster, Slinky Dog Dash, and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, and soon Mickey and Minnies Runaway Railway. But if a guest decides to come down for the weekend to ride this ride, and it goes down, they will not get a second chance. For now, we can only wait and see what Disney will ultimately do about this situation.
“ With so many moving parts, there are more and more frequent breakdowns. In the first week of opening, the ride had several hours of downtime during the day.
“ Disney pushed opening times from 8 a.m. to 7 a.m. for most of January and February because of this. Even so, these boarding passes are now only attainable at the park’s open, and almost every day since Rise of the Resistance’s debut, these boarding passes have been snatched up within minutes of opening. At Disney Lands' version of the ride opening, the boarding groups were all distributed within 45 seconds. The ride was so well advertised that it is causing problems for Disney's higher-ups. Guests began to line up at 4:30 a.m. on opening day, meaning Disney had to make sure there were security and parking attendants at the park that early to ensure safety before the park's opening. In the first few weeks, the park has been opening at 6:45 a.m. to let guests in and decrease congestion at the security entrance, allowing guests to get a boarding pass as soon as they scanned into the park. Unfortunately, this meant that if you did not get to the park early enough, even
Rise of the Resistance Level 2 floor plan
Image Courtesy: CGNS News Reviews & Bobby Sussman
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B4 Entertainment
Emerging Artists: Castaway with Christine!
Oliver Du Bois News Editor
Christine is an emerging singer from Ecuador. Her grandfather, a pianist, inspired her love for music from a young age, showing her a variety of genres and artists, from jazz to Sinatra. Christine began singing as a child, having her first performance at age 11. She took vocal, guitar, and piano lessons, and eventually got a bachelor’s degree in both vocal performances and law. All the while, she has been writing, producing, and releasing her music in both Ecuador and the United States. Can you tell me a little bit about your first performance? Were you nervous, or was it natural for you at the time?
that for me, the initial push is based on emotion. Sometimes it is like pure inspiration, like I’m in my car and a melody will come up, and I’ll record it, and then get home and start writing lyrics to it. But it’s really that little push. Inspiration comes, and then I have to really work on it, and that’s the tedious part. How would you say your songs have evolved? I think now I have more of a voice— I’m more confident in what I write. When I first started writing, there was no filter, because it was just pure emotion and just very raw, so there was no sort of educated type of
that side of the brain, so at the end of the day you’re exhausted, and you don’t want to create anything all day. So for me, it was mostly like I would write two or three songs per semester and then, in the summers, really get into them and start recording and producing the songs. I was able to balance it during the summers. Would you say that the support system you have from your families helped with the difficulties you faced in balancing your career and college at the same time?
Definitely. Their support was essential, and it kind of helps you when
At the time I didn’t think much of it, because it was my friends and me on the last school day. They [the school] were throwing a little event for us, so every class had a performance they had to prepare, and we were representing our class. So my friends and I were going to take a turn each to sing, and at the last minute, they pulled out, so I was like, “well, I guess I’ll do it.” I started singing a Mandy Moore song, and I was nervous on-stage. When I started singing, I started loosening up more and engaging with the crowd, and then I realized I really loved this.
What typically inspires the songs you write? Definitely things that happen to me. Things in my life, things that I feel, things that I think about. Sometimes when I collaborate with artists and producers in other countries they will give me their ideas and I will write about it, but there is inspiration with that. When it’s my own material, it’s just an emotion that I have to let out, which is what drives me to write music. I have to understand what it is that I’m feeling or analyze a situation, or maybe there’s something I wanted to say in a moment and didn’t, and I can redeem myself in song. What is the music-making process like for you? Each song is different, but I do think
What is your favorite original song to perform? I did this collaboration with DJ Box called “I Needed Me,” and that’s one of my favorite songs because it started as a poem, and it’s very relaxing, inspiring. When I sing it, I feel very free, and it’s a very relaxing song for me to sing. Do a lot of your songs start off as poems? Or is I Needed Me more of an exception? That was more of an exception. Because that song was actually a dream I had, so the next morning I wrote out what that dream was in a poem, and then when I had the opportunity to collarborate with him [DJ Box], he told me what his idea was, about how you need to be your own hero, and I said “Oh my god, there’s this poem that I wrote and we could make it into a song.” Speaking of collaborations, are there any artists or DJs that you wish you could collaborate with in the future? So many, yes. If we’re talking on a grand scale, I would love to collaborate with David Guetta, and then for vocalists, I love Mandy Moore, I think she’s fantastic. I love Ariana Grande, Britney; I love all the pop people.
Would you consider your grandfather your inspiration? He definitely inspired the love for music. He wasn’t a songwriter, but he was very masterful in his instrument so that he could just come up with melodies and things like that. When we shared time together, it would be song-writing, but he would be very tired afterwards because he was gong through chemo and cancer. He inspired me to be very open and listen to all kinds of music and enjoy and analyze all of the melodies.
can’t do anything wrong.
What messages do you wish to convey to whoever listens to your music?
talent. And the more I kept writing and going through college, it was a little more filtered, cause I started seeing how I should start writing like this, or like this is how it [the song] should be. And now, it’s back to being free, but I have all the knowledge I need to know when to utilize it and when to not. You mentioned writing songs in college. What was it like balancing your coursework with actually writing songs? It was challenging. In Ecuador, there’s this idea of if you’re studying any type of art, you’re just passing the time, and it’s completely erroneous. I was studying here in the States at FAU, and your whole life revolves around music, but it’s in practice rooms or studying theory or your instruments. And you have rehearsal and ensemble, and so every single day you’re doing something musical, but it’s not towards your own personal project. And you’re in a creative environment, and so you’re always using
Photo Courtesy/Faye Nightingale
you have that drive and determination to create and want to do this as a profession, it’s helpful to have your family support you in any way that they can: emotionally, mentally, anything. When you’re getting ready to perform, how do you prepare yourself mentally before getting on-stage? You know, I haven’t performed in over a year, and it’s actually something I’m dreading. Because I released a new song and I have a few other ones I’ve recorded already that will be part of my repertoire, and so now I’m a little nervous about getting back on stage because I haven’t done it in a while, and I don’t know how I’m going to feel, honestly. I think I’m going to have to start off small again, just me and my guitar. I think it’ll have to be remembering what that first moment was. You know, you’re going to be a little nervous at first, but once you start singing, you want to connect with people, and as long as you’re trying to connect, you
For me, it’s all about conveying a positive message, but positive doesn’t always mean that it has to be happy songs. As long as you’re feeling everything, every single emotion that is on the spectrum, as long as you’re not harming yourself or anyone else, that’s a positive feeling, because you can’t bottle your emotions. You should let them out, and that’s the great thing about music, that it allows you to feel emotions in a very healthy way. You recently released your new song, Castaway. What can you tell me about it? I wrote it about when you’re talking to somebody, getting to know someone, and it seems like it might be a romantic interest, but that person is emotionally unavailable. So you feel like you’re the only one doing the work, and you feel like you’re on an island because they’re so far-fetched from you. And that’s what that song is about. It’s dealing with the how situation—like how you feel like they’re kind of into you but not really, so you still want to be with them.
Chaz Pokracki/The Avion Newspaper
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C2 Sports Eagles come in #4 at Conference Playoffs
Wins against Miami, Falls Short Against USF & FGCU
Alani Seaman & Korbin Martin Managing Editor & Staff Reporter The Embry-Riddle Eagles traveled to Orlando for the Southern Collegiate Hockey Conference’s yearly playoffs. After an eventful few weeks, the team started the weekend off right with a strong win as the home team. Entering as the third seed, our Eagles played the sixth seeded Miami Hurricanes in the first game of the weekend. Goalie Max Minervini had a perfect match, denying 21 shots on goal. The rest of the Eagles stayed on the offensive throughout the game, racking up ten goals. Despite high tempers towards the end of the match, the Eagles kept their composure with their sights on the games to come. Game highlights include #5 Adam Letarte’s hat trick, a hefty four assists from #18 Remy Hautav, and goals for seven other Eagles. With two goals in the first period, the team
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returned for the second period with high spirits that shone through the rest of the game. Four more shots found their way through opposing goalie Colin Fitts’ grasp in the second period and another four by the end of the game. President Andrew Caputo has noticed significant improvements and overall positive change in the team over his four years, “The team is the best it’s ever been and is constantly supported by our fans and incredible community. The coaching staff has been instrumental in the team’s success.” Head coach Bob Joyce is an NHL veteran and a great role model for the players. Along with assistant coaches Anthony Galante and Bill Thompson, Joyce’s career is a testimony to the potential for balancing passion with a job. He maintained a love for aviation throughout his professional years, and after his retirement in 2000, he set his sights on a new career path. Coach Joyce is currently the Quality Assurance Manager for the ERAU Flight Department. His dedication to aviation and hockey over the years serves as inspiration for all who pass through his program. Looking ahead, the team continues to build connections with the community and a growing fan-base at Embry-Riddle. This season they have engaged in events featuring Greek life, local veterans, and young hockey players from the area. The team will undoubtedly have a steady support system at home as they move into the playoff season. After defeating the Hurricanes, the Eagles moved on to face the #2 seed, the University of South Florida Bulls. After a rocky start, the Eagles managed to put away two
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Alani Seaman/The Avion Newspaper
goals in the second and third periods. The Bulls outshot the Eagles 15-6 in the first period. Goalie Nico Prulhiere held the Bulls to a single goal, and the first period ended 1-0. The Eagles stormed out and dominated the 2nd period from almost every aspect, but were outscored 3-1. The Eagles outshot the Bulls 18-6 and controlled the puck for nearly the entire period. However, the Bulls scored a long goal three minutes into the period, and two more in rapid succession at around the seven-minute mark. They didn’t take many shots, but they capitalized on the ones they did take. #22 David Lytle III received a chance to take a penalty shot not long after the pair of goals by the Bulls and made scoring look easy. Lytle’s penalty goal put the Eagles on the board, and the second period ended 4-1. The third period started fast with Lytle scoring once again for the Eagles only 4 seconds into the period. With the score now 4-2, it
seemed like the Eagles might have made a comeback, but the Bulls responded with a goal of their own 2 minutes later, making the score 5-2. The game went back and forth for the rest of the period, with neither team scoring until a minute was left, where the Bulls scored once again. However, the circumstances for the final goal were abnormal. Goalie Nico Prulhiere dove on the puck and held it, but the referees never blew the whistle, and he was knocked of the puck. The Bulls took advantage and put the puck in the back of the net to make the score 6-2. The Eagles played Florida Gulf Coast for third place. The game went back and forth and the third period ended 3-3. Our Embry-Riddle Eagles outshot FGCU in OT but Gulf Coast connected on a shot to win the game 4-3. That concluded the playoff weekend for the Eagles, who can go home dignified with their performance in Orlando.
Alani Seaman/The Avion Newspaper
Alani Seaman/The Avion Newspaper
Alani Seaman Managing Editor
In a special alumni-themed weekend, the Embry-Riddle Men and Women’s tennis teams came together to celebrate the renaming of their third court on the campus tennis complex. Court three was given the honor of representing former coach Rudy Knabe, the first head coach for the Eagles. Alumni from across the country flew in to commemorate a surprise dedication to one of the team's
beloved coaches. The ceremony consisted of heartfelt memoirs given by his former players and a word from his son. Player after player had nothing but positive words to say about the man they felt shaped the majority of their college experience. Not only was he known for an impressive winning record, but he also championed the idea of "Student, Person, Player." This phrase was significant to him as a way to keep his athletes on track in their academ-
Alani Seaman/The Avion Newspaper
ic and personal lives. It solidified his commitment to coaching for "all the right reasons." His dedication left a lasting mark on the players who gave testimony to his successes by pooling their efforts together to make this weekend possible. The campaign for renaming also included a scholarship that will be available to students in his name. Current athletes were given a chance to interact with former players in a series of light-hearted scrimmages. Building relationships with former Eagles are an excellent way for current students to make connections that may help them in the industry. The players that are connected through a shared love for the sport can find guidance from those who came before them. After unveiling the new court, the alumni took to the courts once again to test their memory and affinity for the sport. Many of them felt the aches and losses of years gone by but enjoyed teaming up to take on the students. Several alums brought along children and family members, taking their former coaches by surprise. Seeing the result of their hard work in a passion-driven job was heartwarming for all. Exemplified tremendously by Coach Knabe, coaching is so
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Sports C3 Coach Knabe Court Hosts its First Game
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much more than organizing a team and scrutinizing sports performances. Good coaches drive their teams to be better and better. Great coaches shape and encourage their players to be better people. Coach Knabe’s dedication will now be known to all who see his personalized court, and his legacy will be carried on by the Eagles.
ERAU Baseball wins 8-7 in Extra-Inning Thriller over Auburn Montgomery Ryan Mosher ERAU Athletics
DAYTONA BEACH, Fl. - Sliwa Stadium has seen its fair share of walkoff victories in its 20 seasons as the home of Embry-Riddle baseball. And on Saturday, saw the first of the 2020 season as Robert Post delivered a bases-loaded single in the 10th inning to give the Eagles an 8-7 win over Auburn Montgomery. The Eagles (4-1) scratched across two runs late to force extra innings before the true freshman Post came through for the Blue and Gold to secure the series win over Auburn Montgomery (0-6). It was the Eagles' first come-from-behind victory of the year, and they needed 15 hits to do so. The last of which came off the bat of Post after Kyle Guttveg and Mike Lawson each collected one-out singles in the 10th inning. AUM made a pitching change before Luis Olivier stepped to the dish. After a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position, the Warhawks walked Olivier to load the bases for the Eagles' designated hitter. Post was 0-for-4 before his 10th inning at-bat, but the left-handed batter took an 0-1 pitch past the drawn-in infield
to score Guttveg from third and give the Eagles the 8-7 decision. The home team forced extras thanks to a two-run eighth. While trailing 7-5 for the majority of the game, the Eagles loaded the bases with one out after John Devine was hit by a pitch, and Cody Forster and Guttveg singled. Lawson drew a bases-loaded walk to force across the first Eagle run of the inning, and then Olivier hit a ball sharply to the AUM shortstop. The Warhawk infield tried to turn two to keep a one-run lead, but after the out at second, the throw to first took the first baseman off the bag momentarily, allowing Olivier to reach safely and pushing across Forster for the tying score. The first two innings held nearly all the scoring in the game as ERAU jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opening frame. Post drew an RBI walk before a ground out brought in the second Eagle run. The final Eagle tally of the inning came from an infield single from Andrew Martinez, scoring Olivier. The top of the second inning proved to be trouble for the Eagle defense as Payton Rice was chased from the game after three
Eagle errors and five runs crossed the plate for the Warhawks. The Eagles were able to quickly tie the game when Olivier delivered a two-out, two-RBI double in the bottom of the second inning, but AUM went back in front with a run in the third and then doubled its lead with a solo home run in the fourth, going up 7-5. After the fourth, Dillon Moran, who had relieved Rice in the second, was dominant, finishing with six relief innings, allowing just two runs on five hits with three strikeouts, and most importantly, keeping the Eagles in the contest. Both teams had several chances in the middle innings, but the pitching staff did their jobs until the Eagles were able
to tie the game in the eighth. Joe Balsam pitched a scoreless eighth and then started the ninth, but after a leadoff single, the Eagles went to Samuel Brunnig, and the junior got out of the ninth-inning jam, striking out two Warhawks and getting a ground ball to end the threat. Brunnig tossed a scoreless 10th for the home team, setting up the Eagles' walk-off in the bottom of the inning. Brunnig (1-0) got the win in 2.0 innings of relief work as the ERAU staff threw the final six innings without allowing a run. Four Eagles had multiple hits, including a 4-for-5 day from Forster and three hits apiece from Guttveg and Lawson and two from Martinez. Olivier finished with three RBIs, and Post collected two RBIs. The Eagles will look for the series sweep tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 9. The first pitch is slated for 12 p.m. at Sliwa Stadium.
Chaz Pokracki/The Avion Newspaper
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C4 Sports
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Chris Elwell/The Avion Newspaper
Chris Elwell/The Avion Newspaper
Chris Elwell/The Avion Newspaper
Chris Elwell/The Avion Newspaper
Alani Seaman/The Avion Newspaper
Alani Seaman/The Avion Newspaper
Alani Seaman/The Avion Newspaper
Chris Elwell/The Avion Newspaper
Jack Rachek PR Manager
Over the weekend, the Embry-Riddle Sailing Team competed in their second regatta of the Spring 2020 season, the Old South Regatta. Ten college teams from across Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas traveled to Rollins College in Winterpark, Florida for College Sailing’s last pre-season event before officially starting the season next weekend at the SAISA Open.
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Conditions were more challenging than usual as sailors faced very inconsistent winds and a tough field of competitors. Rollins College’s sailing facility is based at Lake Virginia, a small lake area notorious for light wind conditions. At the start of the day, moderate winds made for two quick sets of races. Embry-Riddle Division A struggled in their first two races, getting boxed out at the start line in their first race and fouling Rollins College in their second race, leading to a disappointing ninth and tenth place finish. Division B performed better, taking third place in race one and ninth place in race two after a challenging upwind leg. In the second half of the regatta, the Eagles started to move up in the ranks, taking multiple fourth and fifth place finishes. Unfortunately, the wind died as the day progressed, cutting the regatta short and ending the team’s chances of making a comeback
from their losses earlier in the day. The Eagles finished seventh overall out of ten teams after narrowly losing by a mere four points to University of Georgia and eight points below Georgia Tech. The biggest challenge throughout the day was constantly changing wind conditions. Every race had a different set of circumstances, making it very difficult for teams to develop a strategy. Some races had wind shifts in the middle of the race, forcing sailors to change their approach with no time to consider options. The course was also often heavily favored to one side, with patches of breeze randomly spread throughout the course. The unplanned gusts meant sailors needed to plan their tacks and upwind strategy to stay in the denser air. This inconsistency propelled Embry-Riddle to a massive first-place lead in their sixth race, before also costing them the race. During the sixth race, Embry-Riddle’s A Division found themselves at the start line in a bizarre position. The wind had dropped to nearly zero just seconds before the start of the race, causing the fleet of competitors to stall and rapidly drift away from the line. The Eagles, however, were in a unique position on the start line that allowed them to fall off and overtake the entire fleet. What little momentum they had propelled their boat over the line with a perfect start before quickly entering a puff of breeze. The rest of their competitors continued to drift away from the start line while the Eagles accelerated into denser air. This lucky timing gave the Eagles a considerable lead upwind, rounding the top mark in first-place while defending from the University
Jack Rachek/The Avion Newspaper
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Sports C5 ERAU Sailing Team Heads to Rollins College for Old South Regatta
Jack Rachek/The Avion Newspaper
of Florida in a rapidly approaching second place. The team was able to protect their position headed downwind before making a fatal flaw that ultimately cost them the race. Rounding the downwind marks, the Eagles chose to head to the right side of the course as they had done in the first half. The University of Florida chose the left half of the course, and many others followed suit. A wind shift meant the teams on the left side found heavier air while the right side had nearly no wind at all. By the time the Eagles reached the upwind mark, they had fallen to seventh place as they could not keep their momentum in the light wind. The wild turn of events was extremely frustrating for the team as just one decision cost them the entire race and blew
their best performance of the day. Ultimately, the Eagles walked away learning a lot about light wind lake sailing and became better prepared for the challenging field of competitors they will face at the SAISA Open next weekend at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. Eighteen teams from across the South will travel to Eckerd next weekend to compete in the season opener, making for the largest regatta of the season. The Eagles will face off against a variety of club and varsity sailing teams with a diverse field of competitors from nationally ranked athletes to sailors who are new to the sport. With the knowledge the team has gained from the pre-season, the team is looking forward to a reliable performance next weekend.
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