Larry Chickola

Last updated
Lawrence John Chickola
Born1964 (age 54–55)
Education BS, MS
Alma mater
Occupation Professional engineer
Years active1995 to present
Employer Six Flags Entertainment
Known for Roller coasters

Lawrence John Chickola (born 1964) is an engineer known for designing roller coasters.

Engineer Professional practitioner of engineering and its sub classes

Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build, and test machines, systems, structures and materials to fulfill objectives and requirements while considering the limitations imposed by practicality, regulation, safety, and cost. The word engineer is derived from the Latin words ingeniare and ingenium ("cleverness"). The foundational qualifications of an engineer typically include a four-year bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, or in some jurisdictions, a master's degree in an engineering discipline plus four to six years of peer-reviewed professional practice and passage of engineering board examinations.

Roller coaster Ride developed for amusement parks

A roller coaster is a type of amusement ride that employs a form of elevated railroad track designed with tight turns, steep slopes, and sometimes inversions. People ride along the track in open cars, and the rides are often found in amusement parks and theme parks around the world. LaMarcus Adna Thompson obtained one of the first known patents for a roller coaster design in 1885, related to the Switchback Railway that opened a year earlier at Coney Island. The track in a coaster design does not necessarily have to be a complete circuit, as shuttle roller coasters demonstrate. Most roller coasters have multiple cars in which passengers sit and are restrained. Two or more cars hooked together are called a train. Some roller coasters, notably Wild Mouse roller coasters, run with single cars.

Contents

Early life and education

In an interview, Chickola said that he attended DeLaSalle High in Detroit, Michigan. [1]

Detroit Largest city in Michigan

Detroit is the largest and most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan, the largest American city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of Wayne County. The municipality of Detroit had a 2017 estimated population of 673,104, making it the 23rd-most populous city in the United States. The metropolitan area, known as Metro Detroit, is home to 4.3 million people, making it the second-largest in the Midwest after the Chicago metropolitan area. Regarded as a major cultural center, Detroit is known for its contributions to music and as a repository for art, architecture and design.

Chickola earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan and a Master of Science at UCLA. [2]

A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years, or a person holding such a degree.

Mechanical engineering Engineering discipline and economic branch

Mechanical engineering is the discipline that applies engineering physics, engineering mathematics, and materials science principles to design, analyze, manufacture, and maintain mechanical systems. It is one of the oldest and broadest of the engineering disciplines.

University of Michigan Public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

The University of Michigan, often simply referred to as Michigan, is a public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The university is Michigan's oldest; it was founded in 1817 in Detroit, as the Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania, 20 years before the territory became a state. The school was moved to Ann Arbor in 1837 onto 40 acres (16 ha) of what is now known as Central Campus. Since its establishment in Ann Arbor, the university campus has expanded to include more than 584 major buildings with a combined area of more than 34 million gross square feet spread out over a Central Campus and North Campus, two regional campuses in Flint and Dearborn, and a Center in Detroit. The university is a founding member of the Association of American Universities.

Career

Early career

After graduation, Chickola designed equipment for satellites for the Hughes Aircraft Company. [2] He later held jobs with Lockheed Martin in Los Angeles, California [1] and Amtrak. [2]

Satellite Human-made object put into an orbit

In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object that has been intentionally placed into orbit. These objects are called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as Earth's Moon.

Hughes Aircraft Company defunct American aerospace and defense contractor

The Hughes Aircraft Company was a major American aerospace and defense contractor founded in 1932 by Howard Hughes in Glendale, California as a division of Hughes Tool Company. The company was known for producing, among other products, the Hughes H-4 Hercules Spruce Goose aircraft, the atmospheric entry probe carried by the Galileo spacecraft, and the AIM-4 Falcon guided missile.

Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American global aerospace, defense, security and advanced technologies company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in North Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington, D.C., area. Lockheed Martin employs approximately 100,000 people worldwide as of December 2017.

Six Flags

Chickola was asked to overhaul the Runaway Mine Train roller coaster in 1995. He completely re-engineered the 21-year-old coaster with a new motor, cars and computer operating system. [3]

Runaway Mine Train (Six Flags Great Adventure) Roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure

Runaway Mine Train is a steel roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ. It was the park's first steel coaster, and was built by Arrow Development. It opened with the park in 1974, and is one of five coasters at Six Flags Great Adventure aimed at families and younger children, the other four being Skull Mountain, The Dark Knight, Harley Quinn's Crazy Train, and Road Runner Railway.

In 2001, the Six Flags Entertainment Corporation promoted Chickola to chief corporate engineer. He is responsible for the design, maintenance and safety of 120 roller coasters and over 600 other amusement park rides. [2] Chickola redesigned the Texas Giant, a wooden roller coaster, into the world's first hybrid roller coaster. [4]

Six Flags American entertainment company based in Grand Prairie, Texas

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, also known as Six Flags Theme Parks or simply Six Flags, is an amusement park corporation based in the United States, with properties in the US, Canada and Mexico. It is the largest amusement park company in the world, based on the number of properties owned and is ranked seventh in terms of attendance. The company operates 25 properties throughout North America, including theme parks, amusement parks, water parks and a family entertainment center. In 2017, Six Flags properties hosted 30.4 million guests.

Chickola helped develop standards for roller coasters in New Jersey. The New Jersey standards were almost identical to guidelines set by ASTM International. [5]

Research

Chickola participated in a study of risks of traumatic brain injury from riding roller coasters and co-authored the report. [6]

Media appearances

Chickola appeared in two episodes of the Travel Channel's series Insane Coaster Wars . [7] He was featured in a segment of CBS This Morning on May 15, 2013. [8]

Related Research Articles

Kings Island amusement park in Mason, Ohio, United States

Kings Island is a 364-acre (147 ha) amusement park located 24 miles (39 km) northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Owned and operated by Cedar Fair, the park first opened in 1972 by the Taft Broadcasting Company. It was part of a larger effort to move and expand Coney Island, a popular resort destination along the banks of the Ohio River that was prone to frequent flooding. After more than $300 million in capital investments, the park features over 100 attractions including fourteen roller coasters and a 33-acre (13 ha) water park.

Vertical loop basic roller coaster inversion

The generic roller coaster vertical loop, where a section of track causes the riders to complete a 360 degree turn, is the most basic of roller coaster inversions. At the top of the loop, riders are completely inverted.

Top Thrill Dragster steel accelerator roller coaster at Cedar Point

Top Thrill Dragster is a steel accelerator roller coaster built by Intamin at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. It was the sixteenth roller coaster built at the park since the Blue Streak in 1964. When built in 2003, it was the first full circuit roller coaster to exceed 400 feet (120 m) in height, and was the tallest roller coaster in the world, before being surpassed by Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure in May 2005. Top Thrill Dragster, along with Kingda Ka, are the only strata coasters in existence. It was the second hydraulically launched roller coaster built by Intamin, following Xcelerator at Knott's Berry Farm. The tagline for Top Thrill Dragster is "Race for the Sky".

Intamin Worldwide is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The Intamin brand name is an abbreviation for international amusement installations. The company has offices throughout the world including three in Europe, three in Asia and two in the United States.

Son of Beast Former wooden roller coaster at Kings Island

Son of Beast was a record-breaking wooden roller coaster located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. Built and designed by the now defunct Roller Coaster Corporation of America, it opened to the public on May 26, 2000, and was themed as a sequel to one of the park's other signature attractions, The Beast. In addition to breaking the world record for speed, Son of Beast was the first wooden hypercoaster in the world with a 214-foot (65 m) drop and was the second wooden coaster to feature an inversion; Flip Flap Railway was the first, but was long defunct before the ride's opening.

Batman: The Ride Series of roller coasters at Six Flags parks

Batman: The Ride is a steel inverted roller coaster based on the DC Comics character Batman and found at seven Six Flags theme parks in the United States. Built by consulting engineers Bolliger & Mabillard, it rises to a height of between 100 and 105 feet and reaches top speeds of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). The original roller coaster at Six Flags Great America was partially devised by the park's general manager Jim Wintrode. Batman: The Ride was the world's first inverted roller coaster when it opened in 1992, and has since been awarded Coaster Landmark status by the American Coaster Enthusiasts. Clones of the ride exist at amusement parks around the world.

Coney Island Cyclone Historic roller coaster in Coney Island, Brooklyn

The Coney Island Cyclone is a wooden roller coaster at Luna Park in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City. Designed by Vernon Keenan, it opened to the public on June 26, 1927. It is located on a standalone plot of land at the intersection of Surf Avenue and West 10th Street. The Cyclone reaches a maximum speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) and has a total track length of 2,640 feet (800 m) with a maximum height of 85 feet (26 m).

Michigans Adventure

Michigan's Adventure is a 250-acre (1.0 km2) amusement park in Muskegon County, Michigan, about halfway between Muskegon and Whitehall. It is the largest amusement park in the state and has been owned and operated by Cedar Fair since 2001. As of 2019, Michigan's Adventure has 52 rides, more than any other park in the state.

Werner Stengel German engineer; roller coaster designer

Werner Stengel is a German roller coaster designer and engineer. Stengel is the founder of Stengel Engineering, also known as Ingenieurbüro Stengel GmbH.

Storm Chaser (roller coaster) amusement ride

Storm Chaser is a steel roller coaster at Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, Kentucky. Designed by Alan Schilke and built by Rocky Mountain Construction at an estimated cost of $10 million, the ride opened to the public on April 30, 2016. It features three inversions utilizing Rocky Mountain Construction's patented I-Box track technology, a 78-degree drop, and a maximum speed of 52 mph (84 km/h).

New Texas Giant roller coaster located at Six Flags Over Texas

New Texas Giant, formerly known as Texas Giant, is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas. The ride underwent an 18-month refurbishment, transforming from a wood track to steel and reopening in 2011. Manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction, the New Texas Giant stands 153 ft (47 m) tall and features a 79° drop stretching 147 ft (45 m). The ride also features multiple turns banked up to 115° and over 4,506 feet (1,373 m) of track.

The following is a summary of notable incidents at any of the amusement parks and water parks operated by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. In some cases, these incidents occurred while the park was under different management or ownership.

This is a summary of notable incidents that have taken place at amusement parks, water parks, or theme parks that are currently owned or operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. This list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of every such event, but only those that had a significant impact on the parks or park operations, or are otherwise significantly newsworthy. The term incidents refers to major accidents, injuries, or deaths that occur at a park. These incidents were required to be reported to regulatory authorities due to where they occurred. They usually fall into one of the following categories:

  1. Negligence on the part of the guest, such as refusal to follow specific ride safety instructions.
  2. A guest deliberately breaking park rules.
  3. A guest's known, or unknown, health issues.
  4. Negligence on the part of the park, either by a ride operator or maintenance staff.
  5. An Act of God or a generic accident that is not a direct result of an action or inaction on anybody's part.
Chance Rides ride manufacturer

Chance Rides Manufacturing is a roller coaster and amusement ride manufacturer. The company was formed on May 16, 2002, when the former Chance Industries Inc. emerged from bankruptcy. The main office and manufacturing facility are located in Wichita, Kansas.

Villain (roller coaster) wooden roller coaster at the Geauga Lake amusement park in Aurora, Ohio

Villain was a wooden roller coaster at the Geauga Lake amusement park in Aurora, Ohio. It was designed by the now-defunct Custom Coasters International (CCI). The ride opened as a part of the four-coaster expansion Six Flags brought to Geauga Lake between 1999 and 2000. It was a wooden hybrid, which means it had steel supports but had wood track. When it originally opened, the ride was moderately smooth, but by 2001 it deteriorated and was re-tracked during the off-season. This was the second CCI coaster to feature a "trick track" element where the track banks from one side to another while staying otherwise on a straight path.

This is a summary of notable incidents that have taken place at various Universal-owned theme parks, amusement parks, or water parks. This list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of every such event, but only those that have a significant impact on the parks or park operations, or are otherwise significantly newsworthy.

This is a summary of notable incidents that have taken place at various European amusement parks, water parks, or theme parks. This list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of every such event, but only those that have a significant impact on the parks or park owners, or are otherwise significantly newsworthy.

Flip Flap Railway looping wooden roller coaster at Sea Lion Park in New York

Flip Flap Railway was the name of a looping wooden roller coaster which operated for a number of years at Paul Boyton's Sea Lion Park on Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. The coaster, which opened in 1895, was the first looping roller coaster to operate in North America. It was also notable for its engineering as well as the extreme G-forces that this engineering inflicted on riders.

References

  1. 1 2 "Hot Jobs: Coaster man". Science World. 7 September 1998.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Zimmerman, Ann (29 October 2011). "Mastermind of the Mega-Coaster". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  3. ↑ Gray, Kevin (June 2012). "Engineer of Fear". Men's Journal. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  4. ↑ Tugman, Lindsey (15 May 2013). "One man's mission to make roller coasters bigger, better". THV-TV. San Antonio, TX. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  5. ↑ Colimore, Edward (1 September 2002). "N.J. imposes a ceiling on park rides' G-forces". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  6. ↑ Pfister, Bryan J.; Chickola, Larry; Smith, Douglas H. (2009). "Head motions while riding roller coasters: Implications for brain injury". American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 30 (4): 339–345. doi:10.1097/PAF.0b013e318187e0c9. PMC   2796436 . PMID   19901817.
  7. ↑ "Larry Chickola" . Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  8. ↑ Bojorquez, Manuel (15 May 2013). "Engineer of Fear, America's Top Roller Coaster Architect". CBS News. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
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