Embry-Riddle Hosts Lunch With the Stars at AirVenture

NEWS RELEASE

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600 S. Clyde Morris Blvd.
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Contact: Mary Van Buren
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Embry-Riddle Hosts “Lunch With the Stars” Youth Barbecue at EAA AirVenture

Aerobatic Performers, Jet Dragster Driver to Speak

Daytona Beach, Fla., July 22, 2008 -- Middle-schoolers and high-schoolers with a passion for aviation will want to sign up for the “Lunch With the Stars” Youth Barbecue co-sponsored by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at this year’s EAA AirVenture. The annual event brings together aviation experts and young people to discuss educational and career opportunities.

At the free event on Friday, Aug. 1, students can meet several dynamic role models in the world of aviation, including three individuals sponsored by Embry-Riddle: alumnus Jamail Larkins, who along with Matt Chapman is an aerobatic performer, and jet dragster driver Elaine Larsen. Lunch starts at noon, and a one-hour information session starts at 1 p.m.

To register for the Youth Barbecue, visit Embry-Riddle’s EAA AirVenture exhibit at space S11, located just east of the FAA building and north of the Ford display. Seating for the event is limited.

Jamail Larkins. At 24, Jamail is one of the youngest acrobatic pilots in the nation. At age 12 he flew with the EAA’s Young Eagles program, at 14 he soloed in Canada, and at 16 he soloed in the United States. He holds a bachelor degree in business from Embry-Riddle. Since 2004, Jamail has visited more than 100 middle schools and high schools across the nation in the DreamLaunch Tour, educating youth about career opportunities in the aviation industry and inspiring them to reach for their dreams. In 2005 the FAA named him its first Ambassador for Aviation and Space Education. Jamail has appeared on the David Letterman Show and has been featured in USA Today, the New York Times, the Miami Herald, and Parade magazine, among others.

Elaine Larsen. Elaine drives the Embry-Riddle Jet Dragster, whose design and construction were developed by Embry-Riddle students in tandem with the staff of Larsen Motorsports. Powered by a Pratt & Whitney J-60 engine, the vehicle accelerates from zero to 60 mph in less than a second and reaches a top speed of almost 300 mph. It burns two gallons of Jet-A per second under power and uses a total of 25 gallons per quarter-mile pass. A 10-year drag-racing veteran, Elaine is one of only three women currently driving jet-powered vehicles. Elaine and the Jet Dragster will be at Embry-Riddle’s booth throughout EAA AirVenture.

Matt Chapman. This award-winning aerobatic pilot will be performing in the Embry-Riddle Eagle at EAA AirVenture. He is a 26-year veteran of the airshow circuit. Matt’s aircraft, a CAP 580 with a custom-modified 330-horsepower Lycoming engine, can reach speeds in excess of 240 mph, pull up to 10 g’s, and roll at a rate of 400 degrees per second – all within a few feet of the ground. In his “day job,” Matt flies MD-80s as a captain with American Airlines. Matt will be at Embry-Riddle’s AirVenture booth 10-11 a.m. every day of the show.

Jamail, Elaine, and Matt followed their dreams into successful careers. Whether the goal is to become a pilot, aerospace engineer, air traffic controller, maintenance technician, meteorologist, computer specialist, security expert, or an entrepreneur, Embry-Riddle prepares students for future careers in a wide variety of high-tech fields.

For more information, visit www.embryriddle.edu or check out the University’s booth at EAA AirVenture, where Embry-Riddle representatives will be happy to provide details on undergraduate and graduate degree programs, certificate programs, and many other educational options. Embry-Riddle alumni are also welcome to visit the booth.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world’s largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, offers more than 30 degree programs in its colleges of Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business, and Engineering. The university educates more than 34,000 students annually in undergraduate and graduate programs at residential campuses in Prescott, Ariz., and Daytona Beach, Fla., through the Worldwide Campus at more than 130 campus centers in the United States, Europe, Canada, and the Middle East, and through online learning.