Anti-Gravity Derby on JoCo Cruise 2023
Channel: Angela Brett
Date: 2023-04-01

From https://jococruise2023.sched.com/event/1ITie/anti-gravity-derby: 

This year we’re challenging all engineers, artists, safety-conscious daredevils, and anyone else who likes fun to construct a paper aircraft that will stay afloat as long as possible. Because the last one to hit the Atrium floor WINS! Kudos and prizes* will also be awarded for Artistic Merit, and/or Ingenuity. Plus other fun surprises (tbd). Complete rules can be found here**.

To participate, meet Coach Cruise (Storm) and Cruise Mom (Thera) in the Ocean Bar (Deck 3, Midship) with your aircraft ready to waft. Those wishing to witness the spectacle are encouraged to go to the Deck 2 Atrium area, or Deck 1 just outside of the central Atrium.

*Kudos and Prizes is the name of Storm and Thera’s stage magic act
**Note from Angela: Even on the original schedule, that isn't a link. I guess there were no rules!


Storm explains a rule change from the previous Anti-Gravity Derby, which is that the paper must have at least two folds in it. He asks if we have any aeronautical engineers in the audience, but the one people point out is a deck up from him, so he gets Beth to pretend to be an aeronautical engineer instead. She explains how wings work — you flap them, and you fly, and you go to the Moon. Storm gets us to chant ‘flap, fly, Moon!’ Then we are ready for the first heat!

Now that I see the footage, I think the winner of the third heat was released later than the others. Ooh, scandal!

Does gravity hold us down, or is it Velcro, or is it our own will to not fly into space? Or a combination of Velcro and our desire not to fly into space? It’s Velcro and willpower.

One of the aircrafts got stuck on the chandelier! There is some discussion on what the best bird is. Then it’s time for the All-Fall, where all the aircraft and none of the contestants fall at once.

Everything I've uploaded from this cruise is at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJ-l6mr1dW0jjisZGkrSSNQ8HiKRFLxGW