Summer B issue 1

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Standing Watch: The View From Inside The Fence

Zack Wilkinson/The Avion Newspaper

Matthew Rutowski Advertising Manager On any given day a pair of eyes and ears on the Daytona Beach Campus takes in the daily sights and sounds associated with an airport. From any point

on campus planes can be heard taking off or landing and seen from most any walkway and window.

Aviation becomes a way of life when one steps foot on Embry-Riddle’s prime airside real estate. Those involved in the aviation

world also know that both safety and security become paramount priorities in their daily lives, both in the air and on the ground.

Precautions and policies are in place for the safety of those involved and everyone around us, especially

here at Riddle. The Airport Operations Staff is no different.

Following their own unique safety culture, the Daytona Beach International Airport Operations Unit sees to the safety and security needs of all those

ERAU Women Win Air Race Classic

on and off the airfield.

Director of Public Safety at Daytona International and aviation connoisseur John Murray makes it his daily business to see to the needs of everyone at the airport: visitors, airline staff, rental car staff, airport staff and

Courtney Byrd Chief Copy Editor Two female Embry-Riddle pilots took flight for the 2014 Annual Air Race Classic, soaring above the clouds and the competition.

Pilot and captain, Val Mehanja, and co-pilot, Nancy Snyder, represented Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach campus as they flew the 2,338-nautical-mile-race from Concord, California to New

Cumberland, Pennsylvania, in a Cessna 172 from Embry-Riddles fleet California to New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, in a Cessna 172 from Embry-Riddles fleet.

Competing against 50 teams from around the world and 11 other universities, Mehanja and Snyder took home first place in the collegiate division and second overall in the competitiondefending last years first-place finish

in collegiate and thirdplace overall. College of Aviation administrators chose Mehanja and Snyder on the basis of their piloting knowledge, competitiveness, safety and meteorological knowledge.

Mehanja is an international student from Kosovo and graduated with a degree in Aeronautical Science in May. Snyder is from Florida and will graduate in the fall with an Aeronautical Science degree.

Above: Valdeta and Nancy [with Ernie] after claiming both 1st Place - Collegiate Challenge and 2nd Place Overall in the 2014 Air Race Classic

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Attention Muggles: Diagon Alley Opens Today!

Zack Wilkinson Editor-In-Chief

James Dingell/The Avion Newspaper

yes, even those persistent cab drivers who always seem to find a way to excite the day. Murray takes pride in the way DAB is running; smoother than ever.

Universal Studios Florida is opening their newest addition to the Harry Potter Universe, a stunning recreation of Diagon Alley for casual visitors and Potter fans alike. The Hogwarts Express Train has been readied just for visitors, and will be used to transit between the already existing Hogsmeade attraction in the Islands of Adventure park and the new Diagon Alley attraction in Universal Studios.

ERAU student Emmy Dillon thinks the first Harry Potter attraction was fantastic, but believes this newest one will connect people to the books even more “Like they really are part of the Wizarding World!”, said Dillon. “I’m hoping it will be almost like getting ready for school at Hogwarts: pick up your robes, get your wand, pick out an owl, etc.” A look at what’s available in this new park reveals that visitors will

get to do just that!

If arriving from Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure, Attendees will be welcomed to the park at Platform 9 ¾ in London where they can proceed to the new park. Diagon Alley features a new 3D experience ride, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, in which guests will enter the bank beneath a dragon breathing real fire. The inside has been recreated in the stlye described in the book, complete with the Goblins at work.

They will then be thrust into the cavernous depths beneath Gringotts on a thrilling ride. You’ll meet your friends Harry, Ron, Hermoine, and even the malicious presence of the Dark Lord himself, Voldemort. After the ride ends you’ll exit into Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipement, a shop filled with wizard wares like telescopes, compasses, magnifying glasses, or even a crystal ball.

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Campus

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

Zachary Wilkinson Michael Wildes Jeff Icker Trey Henderson Matthew Rutowski

Page Editors Front Editor Campus Editor Student Life Editor I&T Editor Sports Editor Comics Editor Entertainment Editor Feature Editor Copy Editor

Zack Wilkinson Zack Wilkinson Zack Wilkinson Matthew Rutowski Michael Wildes Jeff Icker Jeff Icker Matthew Rutowski Suzanne Fernandes

Staff Contributors Reporters Photographers

Mark Fetters Matthew Rutowski Michael Wildes James Dingell Mark Fetters Zack Wilkinson

Correspondents Nathan A. Sonnenfeld

Staff Advisor Wesley Lewis, Asst. Director, Media & Marketing

Contact Information Main Phone: (386) 226-6049 Advertising Manager: (386) 226-7697 Fax Number: (386) 226-6727 Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Business Manager Photography Editor Advertising Manager

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

Zack Wilkinson/The Avion Newspaper

Doolittle Dares To Doom More For Decades To Come Matthew Rutowski Advertising Manager As students walk near the northeast corner of campus, the distinct song of diesel engines roar while saws can be heard screaming all accompanied by the all too familiar sight of sidewalk and parking lots closures.

Seems like any other ordinary project here at the Daytona Beach campus, in the land of never ending construction. Unlike the more recent projects however, the natural noise of Embry-Riddle isn’t new construction for a new classroom building, or a maze of sidewalks bringing you to any point on campus, but rather, re-con-

struction of an iconic residence hall.

Doolittle Hall is getting some much needed tender love and care this summer at the hands of the university construction and development office.

And for all you optimists, no the rumors aren’t true: the building ISN’T being demolished! Instead however, an incredible amount of work is being completed in an astonishingly short period of time.

According to our Assistant Director of Facilities, Becky Griffith, this great endeavor began with the one location that students share the most- the bathrooms.

Ms. Griffith told the Avion in a telephone inter-

Website: theavion.com

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

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

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

Zack Wilkinson/The Avion Newspaper

view that the restrooms are actually being gutted completely to make room for a newer, cleaner look.

Although the layout will remain the same, facilities has contracted a few outside companies to give the communal commodes a fresh look in an effort to keep the infamous dorm alive. The hallways are to follow apparently, where new paint will cover the walls going from prison block blue to something a bit more pleasing to both the eye and the stomach.

The carpet is to be removed at some point as well after the years of stain, traffic, tears, and of course duct tape runways have finally taken their toll on the austere, once deep blue stretch.

No word yet on what type of carpet will be subjected to the horrid fate of a college dorm, but there could be light at the end of the tunnel if some department officials get their way.

Most importantly however, allergy sufferers and those with great disdain for the arctic climate are in luck! HVAC work is being completed in the building to permit the comfort controls to provide a bit more comfort.

All ductwork is being cleaned and scrubbed in the building removing decades of old dirt and debris once and for all.

No more sneezing til you pass out! Secondly, for those who do not aspire to become a polar bear over the course of their freshman year, students will be happy to learn that new dehumidifier units are bring installed on the roof to battle the constant need

for a 68F degree climate.

The new equipment is geared toward permitting a more humane temperature to prevail in the building so that students can sleep better at night without their 20 below sleeping bags.

Incoming Doolittle Freshman, take that off your packing list! With less humidity in the air, residents raising their thermostat above 70F won’t risk the chance of sweating walls ending in out of pocket demolition efforts from the resultant mold.

Lastly, hot water can become a dependable commodity.

The boilers in the building (dating back to the original construction date) are being replaced as they hang from a thread with newer, more reliable and efficient boilers yielding more consistent hot water in the dorm.

This installation of new equipment is aimed at lowering operating and maintenance costs for the building overall, while increasing the comfort for those subjected to its inhabitance. While it still may be depressing that Doolittle will not be torn down and gone for good, at least the University is making great strides to improve the quality of life for those to come, while hoping to squeeze many more decades out of ol’ reliable. Considering the impeccable structural integrity of the gargantuan, it surely helps to have it around in case of any natural disasters!

Take a look this August when the doors are opened for another fall semester and see just what has gone on behind the brick façade.

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Student Life

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Unanimous Supreme Court Decision Defending Phone Privacy

Nathan A. Sonnenfeld Correspondent Regarded by defenders of civil liberties as a significant step toward protecting the privacy of individuals in the digital age, the Supreme Court of the United States endorsed electronic privacy on Wednesday, June 25th, ruling that law enforcement must obtain a warrant in order to search the content of cellphones seized from arrested individuals.

The conviction of all nine justices, conveyed by Chief Justice John Roberts, acknowledged that most owners of smartphones “keep on their person a digital record of nearly every aspect of their lives”, which may expose an exceptionally substantial amount of personal information if searched.

“The fact that technology now allows an individual to carry such information in his hand does not make the information any less worthy of the protection for which the founders fought. Our answer to

the question of what police must do before searching a cell phone seized incident to an arrest is accordingly simple – get a warrant” said Roberts.

Two separate cases relating to individuals whose phones were seized and scoured through after their arrests in California and Massachusetts were deliberated, after both were convicted of crimes after data from their cellphones led law enforcement to additional evidence.

The justices agreed with arguments made by lawyers representing the Electronic Privacy Information Center and the American Civil Liberties Union back in April, who said that these warrantless searches were unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment, stating “data stored on a cell phone cannot itself be used as a weapon to harm an arresting officer or to effectuate the arrestee’s escape. Officers may examine the phone’s physical aspects to ensure that it will not be used as a weapon, but the data on

the phone can endanger no one.”

The Fourth Amendment provides: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

In our modern zeitgeist of connectivity, information distribution, and rapidly evolving technology – it is essential to consider the importance of these decisions in affecting our daily lives. Especially in the fields that many of our Arts & Sciences and Engineering students share – research and development – privacy is an issue that cannot ever be compromised; when at times it is not only our personal data that is at risk of unwarranted search, but the designs and statistics involved in our projects.

Photo Courtesy: Wikipedia.org

Photo Courtesy: Wikipedia.org

Spotters Corner

A Delta MD-90 “Mad Dog” comes over the threshold for Rwy 7L on Tuesday, July 2nd. The MD caught just the right mix of high and low pressure at the flaps creating contrails just before touchdown.

ERAU Alumna and previous Embry-Riddle Flight Instructor Justin Dahan was the First Officer on this CRJ-700 when landing on Saturday, July 5th. It was his first landing in DAB as an Airline Pilot. Congratulations from The Avion Newspaper!

Matthew Rutowski/The Avion Newspaper

Zachary Wilkinson/The Avion Newspaper

Travel

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A Holiday 10k

Mark Fetters/The Avion Newspaper

What is more American then fireworks, friends, and grilling out on July 4th? Well, if you are in Georgia a morning 10k run is on a lot of people’s minds.

The Peachtree Road Race is an annual road race that started in 1970 with just 110 people. This year 60,000 people ran the race. The race begins at Lenox Mall on Peachtree Road and continues to the popular Piedmont Park.

People from 47 states, the District of Columbia, and around the world come to join in this tradition. In 2004 the first overseas race was held in Baghdad; and this year six overseas bases held their version with over 3,000 participants. Getting a number for the race is a challenge in itself.

A lottery system is used and you have the option of submitting a

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As you walk up to the start line everyone passes under a large American flag as a reminder of the holiday at hand.

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Mark Fetters Staff Reporter

qualifying time to be placed in a better start wave group. The two days before the race a large health and fitness expo is held where you can you buy your last minute race gear. The day of the race everyone gathers in one of twenty start waves.

Starting a 6:45am the wheel chair race participants set off followed by the invited elite athletes.Then Start waves A-Y every five minutes. The next start wave is released which will last almost an hour and a half.

As you walk up to the

start line everyone passes under a larger American flag as a reminder of the holiday on hand. Along the 6.2-mile racecourse are 150,000 spectators

gathered to cheer everyone on. They range from kids wanting a high-five, to bands playing music, a priest blessing the passing runners, a trombone player on a bridge, and even people handing out beer, pizza and doughnuts to runners.

This annual tradition is not just for the runners. Around the 6k mark there is the first hill, which is nicknamed cardiac hill or heart break hill, where people have been know to have heart attacks. The good news is, if you do have a heart attack on the hill, one of the best hospitals in the state is there to help. At the end of the race comes the best part and one of the main reasons most people run the race year after year; for the famous t-shirt that is given out. After the morning 10k its back to normal 4th of July celebrations; wearing the new t-shirt of course.

Mark Fetters/The Avion Newspaper

Mark Fetters/The Avion Newspaper

Features

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Air Race Continued from A1 >> Having it’s roots dating back to the 1929 Women’s Air Derby, the Air Race Classic is the oldest, all-female cross-country air race that takes place in the United States.

Undoubting, the Air Race was formed by female pilots who were not allowed to compete in air races with men.

Embry-Riddle has only been competing in the Air Race since 2007, taking home first-place in the collegiate division three times and winning second-place overall twice.

With the Air Race beginning on June 16th, pilots took flight from the Buchanan Field Air-

port in Concord, California and began their trek cross-country during this four-day tournament.

As teams navigate cross-country, they must navigate to and from airports in 10 cities along their routes.

Each plane is assigned a handicap speed- and the goal is to have the actual ground speed be as far over the handicap speed as possible.

The pilots are thus given the leeway to play the elements, holding out for better weather, winds, etc. The objective is to fly the “perfect” cross-country and arrive at the destination quicker than the competition. Congratulations Valdeta and Nancy on your success!

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James Dingell/The Avion Newspaper

James Dingell/The Avion Newspaper

Top: (Left to Right) Daytona Beach’s Debbie Burke, Nancy Snyder, Debbie Schaum and Valdeta Mehanja at the awards ceremony for the 2014 Air Race Classic.

Above: Team 37 - Valdeta Mehanja (captain) and Nancy Snyder (co-pilot) after captur- Above: The racers had a chance to share their experiences with future aviators at the ing 1st Place in the Collegiate Challenge.

Community Aviation Day held at Volo Aviation - Capital City (CXY).

James Dingell/The Avion Newspaper

Diagon Alley Continued from A1 >> After you return safely from there, you can head over to the Leaky Cauldron, an authentic British pub open for lunch and dinner each day. Fill up on fish and chips, bangers and mash, stews, and cottage pie. Then wash it down with a tall and refreshing Butterbeer!

After lunch, why not browse the many shops which you’ll remember fondly from the Potter Universe. You can get picked by a wand at Olivanders, or Purchase your next gag from Fred and George Weasely at Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes which is filled with novelty items and magical jokes.

If you’re stocking up for your next year at Hogwarts, you can visit several stores to do so. Head over to the Mag-

ical Menagerie to pick out a furry stuffed friend such as Crookshanks, Fang, Buckbeak, Fluffy, or Scabbers.

Then head over to Madam Malkins for a variety of wizardwear. Pick up a school uniform complete with robes, sweaters, and other appareal for the school house of your choice. Just don’t forget to decide before you arrive if you are a Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin!

Finally, take a walk through Quality Quidditch Supplies and purchase your Quaffle balls, a broom, a golden snitch, the team pennant of your choice, or some new apparel for playing the sport.

And once your day at Diagon Alley is over, you can wander over to Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour for a sweet treat. The counter-type service offers scoop and soft-serve ice

cream, as well as breakfast items such as pastries available in the morning. But don’t be too late as it closes an hour before the park closes.

Diagon Alley has had several ‘soft openings’ throughout the holiday weekend.

Soft openings are un-advertised openings where regular visitors to the park are welcomed in the get a look at the attraction.

Last Thursday, many photos of the park began appearing on twitter after a large group of regular visitors we’re allowed in. The Hotels at Universal have been offering Diagon Alley packages which have allowed them first access to the park.

Visitors who wish to attend both parks in the same trip will be required to Purchase a Park-To-Park admission ticket, at $136 for a one-day pass, or hold an Annual pass.

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Zachary Wilkinson/The Avion Newspaper

Continued from A1 >> Murray concedes however, that he couldn’t do it without the great teams he surrounds himself with who collaboratively keep the jet bridges moving, the bags belts flowing, the lines progressing, and the clientele happy. “Our number one priority is customer service” Murray insisted.

He continued, “Every team member knows that above all, we are here to serve the customers. Anything from a spill on the floor or stuck escalator, to a lost bag, or even a delayed flight, we are here to see to the needs of each and every customer at Daytona”.

During the Avion’s conference with Director Murray as well as Airside/Landside Manager Tom Vannieuwenhoven (or “Tom V.” for short), it was learned that Operations does so much more than ride around the field with a light bar flashing checking AOA or FTRA Ramp Badges. The Airport Operations Team is responsible for everything one could imagine in order to keep the airport running on a day to day basis; and then some. Most importantly however, as all pilots and mechanics should know, record keeping. The FAA’s Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR’s) apply to the airport just as they do to pilots and mechanics.

FAR Part 139 deals with the

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The Airport Operations Team is responsible for everything one could imagine to keep the airport running

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Operations

certification of and inspections at the airport. Volumes of records document individual line items ranging from airport inspection and maintenance to what time an Ops Agent checked their email and the briefing packet from the prior shift.

Part 139 becomes a way of life for the Operations Unit, providing the guidelines to be followed in time for everyone’s favorite annual audit. “I like audits though” Murray explained. “Audits keep people honest. Without an audit safety could take a huge hit… and that’s not something we need at

an international airport”.

Murray emphasized that a large part of the Operations Department job is coordination. Coordination is key to ensure the smooth operation of the airport.

The Airport Ops Unit is responsible for coordinating everything from Fire and Police services, to cleanup and maintenance making that job pretty time consuming. What’s one of the more unexpected duties of an Operations Agent?

Well, recently it’s been dealing with the new bag belt system that’s installed at Daytona to allow the pro-

gression of luggage move along at a more efficient rate. Let’s just say the new equipment doesn’t quite spell efficiency just yet.

Airside/Landside Manager Tom V. emphasized the importance of some of the behind the scenes work that Operations takes care of as well; some things that most wouldn’t think about right away. For example, Operations manages the airport’s lost and found, recovering items as large as full pieces of luggage and as small as personal identification cards or electronics. They are also the ones who respond to calls for motorist assistance at the airport, including dead batteries or flat tires. Slips and falls are as somewhat common occurrence at the airport, but far less than most public places. The DAB Operations team also tends to unattended luggage (which can turn into quite a scene). At one point in the discussion, Vannieuwenhoven dropped a file box on the conference table and removed the lid exposing the contents within. The outside label read “F.O.D. Recovery”.

After taking a quick peek inside, hundreds of plastic sandwich bags were found with assorted dates written on them, most within the past 60 days. The FOD program, or Foreign Objects and Debris program is how DAB Operations keeps the airfield clean. With the help of a FOD sweeper, along with the vigilance of an

Zachary Wilkinson/The Avion Newspaper

Agent on duty, Operations ensures that all foreign debris is swept clean of the airport to maintain a safe environment for planes of all sizes. Anything from candy wrappers to paperwork is found on the airfield on a regular basis.

Remember that checklist that blew out the window during your engine run-up?

Yeah, they’ve got it. Ever watch your cross-country flight plan slip away from your fingertips and down the taxiway after the hours of work you just put into it? Chances are it was recovered. When asked the question, ‘what is the most absurd thing you’ve found out there?’ Vannieuwen-

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agreed. With a phone call the following week, The Avion heard from Operations Agent and Training Coordinator Tara Kissling and went on a shadow-shift.

Agent Kissling was more than happy to give an inside look at the ins and outs of the unit and what the daily job entailed.

Kissling started by going through a brief overview of the start of shift. Each agent has assigned duties and line items to complete and check during their shift, all in accordance with Pt. 139.

After the operational brief, the lights were on. “Ops 6” took to the pavement from underneath the terminal and out the perimeter ser-

the entire airport property (200 airside), every move is captured on camera at the airport and relayed back to Operations Headquarters underneath the terminal.

Kissling began to explain about how Operations works on a daily basis with airport tenants, escorts, FOD, and even the wildlife management program.

Florida is known to have its fair share of wildlife friends that roam abroad and the airport is no exception to that. DAB is home to a number of foxes, coyotes, turtles, assorted birds, and even alligators just to name a few. “We have to keep up with the wildlife here to make sure that it’s a safe

Zachary Wilkinson/The Avion Newspaper

Zachary Wilkinson/The Avion Newspaper

hoven answered with grin: an iPad. Just off 25 left at November 8, Tom V. picked up an iPad face down on the taxiway. “The only thing I can possibly imagine,” Vannieuwenhoven explained, “is that the pilot laid the tablet on the glare shield with the window open and it went sliding out the window”.

Interesting things apparently happen on a regular basis in the day to day life of an Operations Agent though. Whether it be recovering a sectional chart or iPad on a taxiway, or playing referee in a battle at the taxi stand curbside, the Operations Unit handles a lot of responsibility on a daily basis.

What exactly constitutes interesting, The Avion asked. To get the answer, Director Murray extended the offer: why not take a couple hours to see what an Ops Agent does each day?

The Avion wholeheartedly

vice road, or PSR. The PSR runs a total of 9.2 miles around most of the 880 acres of property owned by the Daytona Beach International Airport. First and foremost, Kissling noted some of the more pertinent security issues at an international airport, such as the

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While coyotes or alligators haven’t been a problem lately. the bird population always seems to fowl things up

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number of SIDAs (Security Identification Display Areas) at Daytona. These are the more secure areas of the field with limited access and the most monitoring. That’s not to make you think that the rest of the field goes unwatched however. With a total of 400 cameras throughout

environment for everyone,nature included” Kissling said. While coyotes or alligators haven’t been a problem lately, the bird population seems to always fowl things up. Migratory birds often congest the airspace and cause the most problems for air traffic, especially in those critical take-off and landing segments. To combat the threat however, DAB has a policy mandating that an agent be at the approach end of the active runway at least 15 minutes prior to a commercial arrival to clear the area of bird traffic, and be midfield (at rotation point) at least 15 minutes prior to the commercial departures to ensure a hitch-free operation for the jets. Kissling demonstrated just what it takes to move the flocks, as a family took up residency in a grassy area adjacent to 7R; but not for long.

Bangers, screamers, and ground cannons all play

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property during his or her shift, especially the coordination of security and emergency issues that may arise. That’s a lot of responsibility for one person. Training becomes key in those situations though Kissling explained, saying how nothing could be too big or too small to handle on any given shift.

The agents are the eyes and ears on the airport, mak-

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Jet Blue has been in negotiations over the past six months with county and airport officials

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vital roles in the wildlife management program to encourage birds to find another venue.

While Operations does assist with on-field emergencies, including NORDO, or, No-Radio procedures, or even disabled aircraft, their involvement is limited.

That is of course until the big stuff happens. Commercial flights en-route to Sanford, Jacksonville, or Orlando frequently end up at Daytona for weather, fuel, maintenance, or even medical emergencies on a regular basis. Operations is charged with ensuring that these diversions go off without a hitch, including the management of ground transportation (if necessary), fuel trucks, and other emergency services to get flights back up in the air and to their destination. “It can get challenging then you have an Airbus from Jet Blue inbound for fuel with 146 passengers on board. At that point we’re responsible for taking care of them as soon as they’re on the ground” Kissling noted.

Collaboration and coordination play big roles out on the field as well Kissling explained. The Operations Unit works on a hierarchy based on which agent on duty ‘has the field’. That agent is responsible for everything on the airport

ing sure that everything runs as smooth as possible.

Director Murray says there’s lots of developmental work happening on a daily basis here at Daytona- lots of which the general public doesn’t know about. For instance, some may remember a time when Air Tran serviced DAB with trips to BWI or IAD. Air Tran has since moved on; however, that hasn’t deterred other carriers to look into the possibility of expanding to the Daytona Beach market. Jet Blue has been in negotiations over the past 6 months with county and airport officials,

lobbying to get some gate space at the ‘World’s Most Famous Beach’. Southwest has entertained the idea, although no word has surfaced whether or not we will see the canyon blue rolling November 6 to the gate. Murray also discussed plans to clear the wooded area just west of the Commonwealth Ramp, west of the approach end of Rwy 34. The hope is that the newly cleared real estate will be an attractive venue for developers and provide more hangar and office space off of Bellevue Ave Ext. Taxiway November also has some upcoming work to finish the resurfacing from N2 eastbound. Meanwhile, the FAA is wrapping up their repair work to the ILS systems to eliminate the service outages that have plagued the equipment as of recent. The trucks never stop rolling to stay ahead of the curve.

So next time you see the white truck go by with the light bar flashing, give a wave. They aren’t out there to put a damper on your day. A lot goes into the job in order to have a smooth running airport on a daily basis.

Keep an eye out for a peek into DAB’s Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting team in The Avion’s Summer B, Issue 2!

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Zachary Wilkinson/The Avion Newspaper

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Zachary Wilkinson/The Avion Newspaper

Zachary Wilkinson/The Avion Newspaper

Photographer Zachary Wilkinson/The Avion Newspaper

Aviation

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PEOPLExpress Resurrects For Renewed Success

Airshow Center Pensacola Beach Airshow

Pensacola, FL July 11-12 • The USN Blue Angels host a home show in Pensacola on the 11th and 12th of July, also featuing Team Aerodynamix, Gary Ward’s MX2, and Gary Ward in his “Prometheus”.

Head over to the panhandle and see what they have to offer. _________

Melbourne Air & Space Show Melbourne, FL October 4-5

• Sponsered by Northrop

Grumman, the Melbourne Air & Space Show takes place on Paradise Beach with big names such as the USAF Thunderbirds, the US Army Silver Wings Parachute Team, the F4U Corsair, and many more. _________

Wings & Waves 2014 Daytona Beach, FL October 11-12

• Embry-Riddle hosts their bienniel airshow on the ‘World’s Most Famous Beach’ with performances by the USAF Thunderbirds, Geico Skytypers, Lucas Oil Skydivers, Matt Chapman, Rob Hollan, Patty Wagstaff, ERAU Alumnus Scott “Scooter” Yoak in his silver P-51, Gene McNeely in his AeroShell T-6 Texan, and many more! Free shuttles will be offered for ERAU students from the DAB Campus to the Bandshell at beachside. _________

Matthew Rutowski Advertising Manager

Just two years after the famed Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, unrest was common in a handful of U.S. Legacy Carriers.

Leading into the 1980’s, blue chip carriers such as Eastern, TWA, and Continental saw tough times ahead. Meanwhile though, smaller, more cost friendly economy carriers would see their birth and development while battles were waged in bankruptcy courts nationwide. Corporations like PEOPLExpress and Frontier created a business model that offered fares sometimes as low as $79 one way. Needless to say, the low fares were quite attractive for new customers; attractive enough to allow for growth. But how does a carrier survive at $79 a seat? Well that’s just it.

Your $79 got you the seat.

Have an overhead carryon? $15. Have a checked bag? $25. Want an exit row? $30.

Need extra legroom? $45.

July 7, 1981

First solar-powered aircraft to fly across the English Channel. Stephen R. Ptacek flew the 210-pound Solar Challenger at an average speed of 30 mph from Cormeilles-en-Vexin near Paris to the Royal Manston Air Force Base in southeast England in 5 hr., 30 min.

July 14, 1948

Silver City Airways makes the first car-carrying flight between England and France.

July 12, 1985

First flight of The Antonov An-71 (NATO reporting name: ‘Madcap’), Soviet carrier-capable prototype AWACS aircraft, based on An-72, with a completely redesigned rear fuselage supporting the rotodome of the RADAR atop the broad chord forward swept fin.

July 17, 1989

First flight of the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit

couldn’t be better” Long explained. However, as we all know, what goes up must go down. The unrest ended with the re-integration of former pilots and mechanics although some were still on edge because of new seniority standings.

Pilots such as Captain Long with over a decade of Royal Navy fighter experience, and another 15+ years in the airlines were subjected to the right seat under much younger and inexperienced captains. Long was eventually moved up to chief line pilot for hiring at Continental, although the faded memories of tough years before weren’t soon forgotten. PEOPLExpress eventually folded in 1987, declaring bankruptcy closing their doors. Frontier, which was wrapped in with Continental for a few years ended up being sold off separately. Soon, things were back to the normal.

American, Delta, and Unit-

ed alike others took power of the skies and fares. It is rumored however, that some of the former members of the PEOPLExpress hierarchy ended up in the captains’ seats of Continental Holdings in an effort to get things back on track once and for all.

Lately however, economy carriers have been making a comeback. Corporations like Spirit and Frontier are living strong offering low cost service to some more particular destinations, targeting a unique demographic of the traveling public. In late 2012, announcements were made that a new carrier would join the ‘economy class’, resurrecting the old PEOPLExpress name. Originally projected to provide service starting in late 2012 / early 2013, the blooming company experienced many bumps in the road ahead with certification and licensing. However, it is

said that good things come to those who wait. The owners of the new PEOPLExpress have found that to be true. Just last month the new carrier got the go ahead to start service on June 31st, using hubs out of Pittsburgh, PA and Newport News. Although there is no indication as to how the company will grow, PEOPLExpress has chosen to utilize the same business model as the predecessor: low, low fares, with add-ons running you extra. Except this time, the overhead carryon won’t cost just $15, but rather a heftier $45 on average. Pilots in the Daytona Area can soon expect to hear the call sign over the frequencies as service to West Palm Beach has made the list.

The coming months will tell whether the new kid on the block will make it or not. Keep an eye out for the 737-400’s as they fly overhead, bringing back the old glory of PEOPLExpress.

Boeing’s Newest Method Of Part Lubrication Falls Short Satire It was late April 2014 Zack Wilkinson Editor-In-Chief

This Week in Aviation History

Little by little a $79 ticket turned to $160 with the blink of an eye.

As Frank Lorenzo took over Continental Airlines, distress lead the once powerful legacy carrier into Chapter 11 Bankruptcy proceedings. With roughly 65% of the staff layed off, wages cut, and duty days lengthened, labor relations unions for both the aircraft mechanics as well as the pilots began striking, arguing that the average 30%-50% decrease in pay was unacceptable. Many pilots ended up leaving all together, finding their way to these new blossoming economy carriers nationwide. For some like Fmr 737/747/757/767 Captain David Long, the move to PEOPLExpress was rewarding, offering better pay, better relations, and more flight time in shorter duty days. “We ran a good show there, everyone was happy and the flying

Photo Courtesy: wikipedia.org

When Boeing CEO M. James McClearney, Jr. first contemplated the future of the Boeing 737, an airliner that has revolutionized the transport-category aircraft industry, he wanted to do soemthing great.

“I just wanted something new and refreshing for the airframe, so I got to thinking, and made a call to our rail transport company, BNSF to plan a neat idea. ” McClearney was thinking of something groundbreaking, which would ensure the 737 would be utilized for generations to come. “I feel like we have a lot of momentum behind this idea, and we’re ready for it to launch”, he stated.

This new effort was brought to a shuddering halt on July 3rd. Six emerald green 737 fuselages fresh from Spirit Aerosystems in Wichita, KS were dumped overboard after the train carrying them derailed.

Three of the aircraft

descended into the waters of Clark Fork river. They did so without the proper clearance from Rail Traffic Control, or RTC. News officials were aghast when they first set eyes on the train derailment, thinking it to be a dangerous accident.

However, The Avion Newspaper received exclusive info that the incident was actually a failed launching of Boeing’s newest method of Fuselage Lubrication.

“We just wanted to do something different, we expected the social media outlets to go crazy over this…but I’m afraid this failure will have the opposite effect that we wanted.”, Said McClearney.

The media frenzy has left the morale at Boeing rather damp.

Boeing has been mixing the new lubricant formula into the river since early May. Since then, extensive testing has taken place with other aircraft components.

Boeing Officials assured The Avion that the lubricant is environmentally friendly and does not harm the ecosystem. “It’s also blueber-

ry flavored!”, said Boeing Human Resources rep, Tommy Paradise.

The aircraft were headed for a Fuselage slipway, nicknamed, the “Flying Flume” which was located another 200 yards downstream where the lubricated portion of the river begins.

It is currently unknown how the planes missed their point, but it’s thought that the train conductor, Thomas Tank, pulled the power back a bit to abruptly before releasing the cargo. The

Avion did some research and discovered that Mr. Tank failed his initial checkdrive for his Commercial Conductor Certificate when he failed the Power-0ff 180.

Mr. Tank ended up short of his chosen point.

The maneuver is meant to teach momentum control and timing is everything.

McClearney states that this disaster has given him a fresh outlook on his plans for the 737’s future.

He has already drafted up blueprints for Boeing

Park, a water park featuring attractions built with Aircraft parts. “For now, we have given up on the Lubrication river”, stated McClearney. The “Flying Flume” will be reconstructed into the signature ride of the park.

“Despite my company’s failure with the river we will rise out of the murky depths and make this right”, said the CEO in an exclusive interview with Avion Staff.

His original vision is changed, but the goal of it will still remain.

Photo Courtesy: reddit

Space

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Launch Control Center

SLS Contract Finalized On track to Exploration Mission 1

Orbcomm OG2 Falcon 9

July 14 @ 0921 - 1154 EDT Cape Canaveral AFS SLC-40

AFSPC 4 - Delta 4

July 23 @ 1800 - 2200 EDT Cape Canaveral AFS SLC - 38B

GPS 2F-7 - Atlas 5

July 31 @ 2327 - 2345 EDT Cape Canaveral AFS SLC - 41

AsiaSat 8 - Falcon 9 August TBD Cape Canaveral AFS SLC - 40

AsiaSat 6 - Falcon 9 August TBD Cape Canaveral AFS SLC - 40

Photo Courtesy: NASA Artist’s depiction of the Block 1 variant of NASA’s Space Launch System launching from earth with the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle attached. The Block 1 variant shown is capable of delivering a manned capsule to the moon, Mars, and beyond. Producing 8.87 million pounds of thrust, the Block 1 variant can carry up to 70 tons of cargo to low earth orbit.

Trey Henderson Photo Editor In a move toward the future of manned space exploration, NASA and Boeing Co. last week announced the finalization of a $2.8 billion contract to build the Space Launch System’s core stage.

After reviewing and approving the stage’s design, NASA engineers agreed to allow Boeing to begin production of SLS’s first core stage. The initialization of production of the SLS core represents the critical path of the SLS program and the progress of this project will determine whether or not the SLS program remains on schedule for the future.

As of this writing, the Space Launch System’s initial test launch, Exploration Mission 1 (EM1) is tentatively planned for December 2017. This first, uncrewed launch from Kennedy Space Center will be a stepping stone to SLS’s first crewed flight, planned to launch around the year 2021.

Though this manned launch has been planned for the 2021 time window, costs to develop the completed human-compatible vehicle have not been released.

The core stage soon to be under production

stands at a mighty 212 feet tall and 27.6 feet in diameter. The main stage will house the liquid hydrogen (LH2) and liquid oxygen (LOX) tank which will feed four Rocketdyne RS-25 Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs). Though the core stage is propelled by four RS-25’s, the SLS will not be capable of launching under that propulsion alone. In order for the SLS to reach the moon, mars and beyond, the core stage will be assisted by two five-segment Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters.

Boeing will be producing the SLS core at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility outside New Orleans and the project will be managed from Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. The Michoud Facility is the same location where the Space Shuttle External Tanks (ETs) were once manufactured.

In addition to the development and production of the SLS core stage, Boeing will also be researching the development of varying SLS upper stages compatible with larger versions of the launch vehicle.

These stages range in size from 321 feet to 384 feet, and capable of carrying between 70 and 130 met-

ric tons of cargo to low earth orbit, respectively.

In total, NASA expects to spend between $7.7 and $8.6 billion to prepare the SLS for EM-1 with up to an additional $3 billion in groundbased systems to support the launch. The success of the completion of SLS’s core depends heavily on NASA’s annual funding.

With sufficient funding throughout the production cycle of the core stages and beyond, SLS will soon grant American the ability to once

again propel astronauts to low earth orbit and beyond aboard the Orion Multi Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV).

The Orion MPCV is also under heavy development by NASA and private contractors, with testing already under way and a planned launch aboard United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle on December 4 this year. This initial test launch, dubbed Exploration Test Flight 1 (EFT-1) will launch the Orion capsule to an

altitude of 3600 miles in order to test Orion’s heat shield during re-entry to the Earth’s atmosphere.

Orion and SLS will reinvigorate the United State’s space exploration capabilities and revolutionize what we deem capable in manned space travel. SLS will be history’s most powerful launch vehicle and Orion will its most diverse crew capsule, allowing us to travel to and explore regions of space and our solar system that we have never been able to reach.

ISS Sightings July 10th

6:11am - Visible for less than a minute. Max height: 16 degrees. Appears 11 degrees above N. Disappears 16 degrees above S.

Shuttle Spinoff of the Week Bioreactor

Developed for space shuttle medical research, this rotating cell culture apparatus simulates some aspects of the space environment, or microgravity, on the ground. Tissue samples grown in the bioreactor are being used to design therapeutic drugs and antibodies. Some scientists believe the bioreactor will routinely produce human tissue for research and transplantation.

This Week in Space History July 20, 1969 Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin take the first steps on the moon.

Photo Courtesy: NASA Artist’s depiction of NASA’s Orion MPCV in low earth orbit with service module attached to crew capsule. The service module will provide power, propulsion, thermal control, water, and gas to the astronautis in the crew capsule.

July 20, 1976 Viking 1 lands on Mars, marking the first U.S. landing on another planet.

July 11, 1979 Skylab is deorbited.

Private Pilot Certificates:

AARONN SPIEWAK ADEOLUWA SAMUEL FAGBEMI ALEXANDER GALARZA ALEXANDER RYAN SANTIAGO ALLAN BERNARD RUSSELL AMRO ZUHAIR A MEKKI ANDONY ERNESTO MAJANO RAMOS ANDREAS ERIC REID ANDREW TYLER CLEMENS BRANDON JAMES IANNOTTA BRIAN ROBERT JOHNSON BRIAN WILLIG BRIDGET CHRISTINE MURPHY BRYAN JAY CRUZ BRYON CHRISTOPHER BARNES CAMERON TIMOTHY ANDERSON CHASE MICHAEL CAPRON CODY CHARLES FROST COLLIN MATTHEW MCNAMARA CONNOR RODERICK CONNOR SANCHEZ DAKOTA JANE FOSTER DANIEL RUST DAVID JONATHAN ATCHISON EDGAR FROYLAN CANEDO ELIZABETH JOY CSSADY ERIC LARTEY TETTEH ERIC RAY RICHARDSON GONGPING LONG GRECIA LILIANA CHAVEZ ALVAREZ HEATHER CAROLINE WARREN HO CHING KENDREW WAN HUNTER BLADE ELLIS ISAAC RICARDO MENDIETA JACOB HUNTER MORTENSON JARED NIELSON JERMAINE HADLEY JERRY JESSE TYLER ZUMEK JUSTIN ROBERT RIEDEL KELTON JENSEN AUVERMANN MADELEINE ELIZABETH GRACE DILLON MICHAEL CHAD CUMMINGS MILAN VIMALBHAI PATEL NICHOLAS COSME TAVARES NICHOLAS MARTIN GOLD PASUTORN LEKHALAWAN PATRICK DANIEL PARRISH PATRICK HUNTER STONE PATRICK RYAN O’CAIN RILEY RICHARD HARTWELL RYAN DANIEL BISHOP SALEM AHMED YOUSEF A. ALMANSOORI SAMUEL AARON MERICLE SAMUEL JEEHYUN LEE SERGIO ARMANDO RAMIREZ BEJARANO SHOIB SANVAL RANA SOOHOON KIM STEPHEN JOHARRY TURKI KHALED O JAAD TYLER LLOYD FLOWERS TYLER WILLIAM BASTIAN VATHANA CHALEUNPHONE WILLIAM ANDREW CHARLES WON JUN JUNG YONG SUNG LIM ZACHARY JOHNSON

Private Multiengine Add-on Rating: AUSTIN BRENT BOLIVER

Instrument Rating Certificate:

AMANDA ERIN NOLTE ARISH PERCY KANGA DOMENIC GEORGE LAFAUCI MYUNGSHIK NAM SAUD ASHRAF ABDULMONEIM IBRAHIM SO JUNG AN STEFAN SHO BYLAND WUEYOUP KOO

Commercial Pilot Certificate:

ABDULLAH HASSAN A NASSAR ANDREW DAVID LUBARSKI BIAN JOE LIM BLAKE MICHAEL WELLER BRANDYN MACLANE GONZALEZ BRIAN AUSTIN LIPSCOMB CHIEN-HSUAN HUNG DANIEL PATRICK MAGROGAN EVAN MICHAEL TAYLOR FILIMON MICHAIL KOUTSANTONIS HOTHAIFAH OTHMAN M KIDWAI JAMES WONE DOUGAN JOHN THOMAS FREED JOSEPH DOUGLAS GELLER JOSHUAE DENNIS MURPHY KEITH JOHN NOVATNAK JR. KYE SUNG KIM LUIS ALBERTO PRIETO FUENMAYOR MICHAEL WARREN KULIK MOHAMED ABDELAZIZ MOHAMMED IBRAHIM A KENDASSA MUSTAFA YALIN DEMIRELLI NEWMAN NDUNGU WANYAGAH PALMER BOYD LINTZ RICHARD JESSE REYNA TIMOTHY DALE REECE TOMOHIRO URAKAMI

Commercial Single Engine Add-on Rating: ERIC JAMES JULIAN GARREETT COLBY HILL JOSHUAE MURPHY JUSTIN STEPHEN LAREAU SEAN MATTHEW HENRY

Commercial Multiengine Add-on Rating:

ANDREW DAVID LUBARSKI BRIAN JAMES MIGLIORE CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL BOGLIOLE JOHN FRANCES HAYES MAX WILLIAM BONNER YANN BOEHLER BOSCH

Flight Instructor Airplane Certificate: AASHRAY SARDANA ALEX THOMAS BLYMIRE ALEXANDER RYAN BOY BRANDON DANIEL ZAWAL CHRISTOPHER JOHN CAMPBELL JR. CHRISTOPHER LOUIS GALIONE CHRISTOPHER MARINO UGOLINI CONNOR PATRICK WILM ETHAN CONNOR ANDERSON FUMIYA SHIGEMATSU JOHN ROBERT VACEK III JONATHAN ROBERT LEONIK JOON YOUNG BAEK JOSHUA MICHAEL AASE JOSHUAE DENNIS MURPHY JUSTIN PAYCE MARCUS KELSEY LYN TEN HOEVE KEVIN MICHAEL GROSS KRISTIAAN WILLEM HEREIJGERS LIAM MCGLYNN HAY MATTHEW CHRISTIAN PLOURDE MATTHEW DAVID MILLER NICHOLAS GARRETT MOYER OSCAR DANIEL PIMENTAL IMBERT SONE PHILLIP WILLIAM RESILLEZ RANDY WILLIAM RUTKOWSKI RENE HEINS SAMANTHA ALYSE SZEFLER SI HYEONG HA STEVEN JOHN EWING TAYLOR JUSTIN CELLINI TEVYN R CHARNEY THADDEUS LEONARD SALDANHA VITHAWAT THURDNAMPETCH

Flight Instructor Instrument Certificate: ABHICHEK DAVID BERNY DJEMY SEMEXAN GABRIELLE ELISE HOEKSTRA GANDHI ROMEO PAZMINO AGUILAR IBRAHIM KHALID AHMED DASUKI JEANA AIKO SHINDO MATTHEW JEREMY WALLACE MATTHEW SCOTT DUGGAN NANCY HANNA SNYDER OMOEFE SAMUEL OVBAGBEDIA RYAN ALLEN HOFFMAN SEBASTIAN MUENZER

Flight Instructor Multiengine Certificate: MICHAEL BRADLEY HUBER

Photo Courtesy: Seat42f.com

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A Movie that Deserves Better than This Matthew Liddel Correspondent “Snowpiercer” has had a rough journey to American audiences. It premiered over six months ago in other territories throughout the world and was scheduled for a wide release, but due to studio meddling and delays, the film now only has a very limited release, playing in only two theaters in all of Florida at the time of review. It also doesn’t help that the film has been readily available to illegally download or stream on numerous sites, and most people who wanted to see the film have already down so by those means.

Thankfully, the film has been released as it was intended by its director, and it is spreading to more theaters thanks to audience demand and critical acclaim. But with everything going against it, many wondered if the film would ever catch on with American audiences, and some wondered if its quality would ever live up to the cult status that it has already gained in other countries.

I think it’s safe to say that not only is “Snowpiercer” a great sci-fi movie, but its one of the best sci-fi movies to come out in the past five years. I would urge anyone with an interest in this film to wait for its home release or seek out

one of the theaters playing it so that it can be directly supported, as it was not given sufficient chance to shine by its distributors.

Based off a French comic book series and written/directed by Bong Joon-ho, a South Korean director making his English-language debut, “Snowpiercer” is a very international film about the last survivors of a new, deadly Ice Age. A coolant particle is released into the atmosphere to reverse the effects of global warming. It works… a little too well, leaving an uninhabitable, Arctic environment across the planet. But thanks to the foresight of an eccentric billionaire, a group of lucky few humans remain alive aboard a train called the Snowpiecer, a world-spanning, superconductor train that takes an entire year to make its way through every country in the world.

The “rattling ark’s” hull (as it’s referred to in the film’s opening) is able to withstand the intense cold of the outside, but the train has been divided into a class system not unlike the world before: the poor live in the tail-end of the train, with little food and water or other commodities, and the rich live near the front, with lavish living conditions for as long as this train can keep moving.

And so it has been for over 17 years aboard the Snow-

piercer. The film focuses on a revolution lead by Curtis (Chris Evans, “Captain America”) as he and other tail-end passengers, played

by Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, and Song Kangho among others, try and overtake the train and rid humanity of the class system that rules over them.

But first they have to overpower the armed forces of the train and their commander, Mason, played bizarrely and other-worldly by Tilda Swinton.

Some recent action films have dealt with the themes of class-warfare, such as “The Dark Knight Rises” or “Elysium,” but while those films either used it as mere window-dressing for the action or handled it with a lack of realism, “Snowpiercer” manages to inject a maturity and questioning necessary to counteract its often silly and offbeat style and set-up. Should the tail-end passengers just be content with their place in the train? Will a revolution really lead to change, or will it just recycle the same problems as the world has always had? Is it even possible to have true revolution?

It’s been a while since a sci-fi film was purely driven by its own ideas, and “Snowpiercer” fills the quota. There hasn’t been a more thoughtful and original sci-fi action film since “District 9” or the original “Matrix,” and it’s

largely thanks to Joon-ho and Kelly Masterson’s airtight screenplay. The world inside the train is intricately designed with an array of people, ranging from the drab bleakness of the back to the high-tech, colorful luxury of the front.

Also impressive are the grounded performances, with Chris Evans being the stand-out. Evans has really shown himself to be a competent actor in many scenarios, and “Snowpiercer” allows him to show the struggle and intensity of a lower-class passenger little by little, with the finale outshining anything he’s done. Tilda Swinton’s insanity and colorfulness is very welcome in the film’s washed-out, black-andblues opening, although she certainly rides a fine line between comic and too over-the-top.

In fact, this may be the biggest turn-off for some people, as the film loves to interject an unusual sense of comedy in many situations, but I would argue that it is necessary to keep the film moving at a brisk pace and keep viewers on their toes as the revolution makes its way to the front. The humor may not always land, but it never becomes irritating, unlike most blockbuster films of a similar nature.

The only other gripe with the film is that the action starts off a bit confused and erratic in its opening

Photo Courtesy: Staticflckr.com

Snowpiercer

hour, with a generous use of shaky-cam technique for good measure. However, I can’t think of any way in which this could have been avoided, as it’s difficult to stage a fist-fight or brawl in an enclosed space like a train car. A fight in that small amount of space would absolutely feel confused and constrained, but it still could have been handled better. The action does pick up in pace and in imagination as the film moves on, though, resulting in some of the more intense and creative scenarios in recent sci-fi films.

But the action is always backseat to the film’s ideas, which makes it a worthy addition to a long line of

competent sci-fi allegories.

While the film’s action may not match the innovation of something like “The Matrix,” it certainly follows in its footsteps as a film that exists almost purely as a vehicle for its own questions, tackling the world as we take for granted and never taking too much of a one-sided opinion on its issues. The questions that “Snowpiercer” raises, answers, and sometimes doesn’t answer are all the makings of a classic, and once it reaches American audiences in a more convenient way, it will certainly leave many viewers with more than they expected.

And isn’t that what makes a sci-fi film truly great?

Same Song Second Verse Jeff Icker News Editor In the last issue of The Avion I took you through the rain in Jacksonville at Everbank stadium. For the second day of Florida Country Superfest, I was prepared for the events experienced on the first.

Shorts and flip-flops was the proper apparel choice, thankfully so, because Florida didn’t disappoint by staying finicky with the weather.

Overcast skies with dark clouds had me expecting day two to just be like day one. Anyone who has spent some time locally can understand how the weather will change at the drop of a hat. Instead of downpours, we were greeted with humidity and heat. If a little rain couldn’t dissuade concert-

goers on Saturday, then some heat wasn’t going to stopfans either.

The acts for Sunday drew large crowds, and at the time accounted for a large portion of the Billboard charts. Florida-Georgia Line was the first big name to kick things off. Being more akin to rock performers, they really enlivened the crowd and several people mentioned that they were the big draw for Sunday.

Miranda Lambert could easily have been a bigger draw, but I was not impressed with her live performance. Her songs were woman empowering, and that was well received, however, her overall presence on the stage and the way she presented herself didn’t seem fitting with the rest of the event.

I thought most women

were excited to see Miranda Lambert on stage, and no one could make them scream louder.

I was wrong. Luke Bryant’s entrance had the stadium roar to a deafening level.

Bryant stole the weekend with his performance. A true entertainer, he provided a great show to finish the weekend.

More importantly, to the lessons learned for the weekend. The first and most important thing I learned: coordinate with others who are going.

After the fact, I found out that quite a few Embry-Riddle students attended and all seemed to think they were the only ERAU personnel in attendance.

The second thing that needs to be remembered about any outdoor event in Florida is the weather does as it pleases. So dress

Photographer Jeff Icker/The Avion Newspaper

comfortably for the event, and take the gear with you that you can and might need. The final thought is just have fun. Dollar for dollar, this event was worth every penny, and

having all the fun in the world is what makes it like this.

Be on the lookout next spring and early summer, because Florida Country Superfest is looking to

become an annual event.

With big names all coming together and putting on numerous mini-concerts, it provides a great sampler and a greater value for consumers.

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Michael Wildes Managing Editor

It’s Germany. It’s Brazil. It’s Netherlands. It’s Argentina.

Europa face off against South America, and it’s a sports script that you wouldn’t want otherwise. From the very first kick-off, the 2014 FIFA World Cup has been nothing but excitement and a wonderful dose of drama. It wouldn’t suit me well to belabor all the glories and high points of all the competition so far, because that would mean we would be here all day. However, it is safe to say that almost every team in the competition stepped up to the challenge and made very dangerous runs for the FIFA World Cup Trophy. Underdogs on paper were menaces on the field. Everyone’s favorite team was, at least at one point, close to crashing out of the competition, and there really seemed to be no favorites once the group stages ended.

Certainly, this World Cup

The Avion

has pushed many nations center-stage, such as the USA, Costa Rica, Columbia, and even Algeria and Belgium, which, though they were never favorites on in anyone’s mind, shocked the world with their performances and progression throughout the competition.

It will be interesting to see how the competition will play out in 2018 again when it is held in Russia. As the 2010 winners and now eliminated champions, Spain, along with other top rated countries such as Portugal proved, no team is guaranteed an easy road to the trophy. It’s still a shocker that the ‘Tiki Taka’ era is possibly over, since before Spain even had the chance to establish and announce themselves and their position in Brazil, they were scrambling to find tickets to return home.

Now, believe it or not, there is less than a week left in the competition, and the final is almost set. The air is ripe with excitement as the

World Cup Thrills Fans Esteban Vasquez Correspondent In a sport usually dominated by soccer “superpowers”, the 2014 World Cup in Brazil has taken many by surprise, including teams like Spain, the current champion, who were considered favorites to win the tournament but were prematurely eliminated from the competition. Among other surprises are teams that, against all odds have shocked the world with incredible performances, and have beat opponents that were once considered favorites to take the trophy.

Perhaps the biggest shocker in the tournament so far is Costa Rica. Placed in a group with three former world champions, expectations for Costa Rica were low. In fact, most experts did not believe they could even win a game in the group stages of the World Cup. Despite all the negative commentary, Costa Rica beat all odds and defeated two of the three teams, handing Uruguay a 3-1 defeat and beating Italy 1-0, while tying with England on their last game of the group stage. So far, Costa Rica led a group in which they were the underdogs, and qualified to quarterfinals

after beating Greece on the first round of the knockout stage. Sadly, their fairytale run was over when they couldn’t outscore Holland in a sensational quarterfinal penalty shootout.

Another great surprise has being the Colombian mid-fielder James Rodriguez. His outstanding form helped his team win three out of three games in the group stages as well as getting them to their first ever World Cup quarter finals. This performance has earned him a spotlight in sports news around the world as he leads the race for the golden boot with six goals to his name in the tournament. With a Colombian side that already made history, soccer fans around the world will be pleased with James’ performance in the tournament even though they got ousted at the hands of the host in a nasty quarterfinal game.

This World Cup has seen more American teams triumph in a tournament that has historically been dominated by European nations.

With more and more teams making history and more players coming into the international spotlight, the World Cup in Brazil 2014, as it enters its final stages, will continue to thrill soccer fans around the world.

best teams in the competition square off. Today, Los Selecaos, the host nation, who has yet to receive any ease for the burden they have to carry, faces their stiffest challenge yet. Up to this point, it is fair to say that the team never really faced a real championship team, aside from Colombia and Chile perhaps, and still looked as if they too would be ousted from their own ballgame themselves. Their performance has never been much to write home about, but they keep winning somehow.

Fortunately for them, they have made it all the way to the semi-finals, and the pressure of a nation in turmoil over the fact that the whole World Cup was a misplaced priority for the government has somewhat begin to abate. One would guess that it would be somewhat okay if they didn’t go all the way now, as they at least can only place fourth at this point.

With their poster boy and top goal-scorer Neymar Junior out with a fractured vertebra after a nasty tackle made by Columbian player Zuniga, the team has a heavy task ahead of them trying to figure out how to shut down the mechanical German team. If that isn’t scary enough, the fact that the captain and goal scorer, Thiago Silva, will also be out on suspension should be enough to rattle you. What was supposed to be a friendly

game against the Columbian team turned out to be a jarring reminder of scenes from the Gladiator as there were over fifty fouls throughout the game, yet only 4 yellow cards were issued. Though it was a knockout round game, the referee probably thought it was an actual fight to the death. Anyway, with both the face and the morale of the team out, when Brazil lines up against Germany today in a 2002 finals rematch, it would suit them well if they did there homework.

For one, Germany will not be an easy walkover, as the fact that this is their fourth consecutive semifinal should tell you enough that are resolute to take hold of the trophy which has just managed to evade them for so long.

The German style of play may not have been the amazing exhibition clinic that they put on four year ago in South Africa, but they go into each game and get the job done.

With the all the German squad available and fit to play, if Brazil doesn’t hold up against the attacks of the top class strikes from Thomas Muller and company, there’s no tell who will not get onto the score sheet today.

If today’s drama isn’t enough for you, tomorrow when Argentina goes up against the tireless and entertaining Dutch team in the other semifinal, there’ll be no shortage of frenzy. The intensity expected from this game

Photo Courtesy: http://i1.mirror.co.uk/ David Luiz celebrating his sensational goal against Colombia.

stems from the fact that Lionel Messi, who is arguably the best footballer in the past decade, has finally made it to the final stages of the competition, and he will have a legitimate chance of holding up the trophy come Sunday.

On the other side, Holland has stamped their name on the trophy from the get-go with the whipping of the outgoing champions as well as the crushing of every other team in its path. Apart from Germany, Holland seems to be the other real contender for the trophy. The real possibility of them together in a final, coupled with the long standing rivalry they have against each other, would be icing on the cake as this arguably being the World Cup of the past two decades.

The only real scare the Dutch had was the quarterfinal against Costa Rica where they faced an unexpected amount of opposition. The game went goalless to the end of extra-time as the whole Costa Rican team and their goalkeeper were closed for business. There was no scoring on Keylor Navas, which seems to be Costa Rican for Tim Howard, who saved 14 serious shots. That’s two short of Tim Howard for the record. It finally came down to the 120th minute of the game where the incredibly smart coach, Louis van Gaal, whose audacious decisions has marked his career, made a bizarre switch, tak-

ing off the goalkeeper who had defended so perfectly up to that point, and putting on Tim Krul, a goalkeeper with a very dismal record (2 out of 20 saves in five years) in preparation for a looming penalty shootout.

You could imagine then the hysteria from the commentators deriding this move, which then turned to surprise and then celebration of this genius tactic as the substitute managed to save two of five penalties, hence helping his team advance to the semifinals. For one, that simply means that the Dutch team is serious about going all the way, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they crush the Argentine team. South America will once again have to do its homework if it hopes to outplay the European teams. If the coaches have anything to say for themselves, surely, these games will be brain versus brawn.

Come Sunday, a different nation will hoist the World Cup Trophy, in what can be expected to be another sensational game. If you have been tuning into the games this past month, it will be a bittersweet moment, as the final that we waited for is here, but come Monday morning, the World Cup will becomes a thing of the past.

May the best team win! Who do you think will win the World Cup? Which team are you rooting for? Let us know here at the Avion!

Photo Courtesy: http://www.todayonline.com/ The Colombian Team doing their iconic dance after a goal.

Photo Courtesy: https://in.news.yahoo.com The Dutch teams celebrating their penalty shoot-out win with substitute keeper, Tim Krul, who saved two Costa Rican shots to advance to the semifinals.

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