Six Flags' chief engineer profiled in Wall Street Journal

Posted | Contributed by LostKause

As chief corporate engineer of Six Flags Entertainment Corp., Larry Chickola presides over one of the nation's largest collection of roller coasters (120) and other stomach-churning rides (680). He likes rides that simulate the sensation of flight. He must also ensure that the sudden twists and turns adhere to rigorous safety standards, which limit the strength and duration of gravitational forces to which riders can be exposed.

Read more from The Wall Street Journal.

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Mr. Chickola's favorite calculator is the H-P 15c, which he's had since 1986 and knows forward and backward.

I wonder if that is supposed to be a joke. HP calculators use RPN.

Chickola also chairs the ASTM subcommittee that is working on acceleration limit standards.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

    /X\        _      *** Respect rides. They do not respect you. ***
   /XXX\      /X\     /X\_      _     /X\__      _     _        _____
  /XXXXX\    /XXX\   /XXXX\_   /X\   /XXXXX\    /X\   /X\      /XXXXX
_/XXXXXXX\__/XXXXX\/XXXXXXXX\_/XXX\_/XXXXXXX\__/XXX\_/XXX\_/\_/XXXXXX

Those of us with 41CV laughed at the girly 10, 11 and 15, although they did fit better in a backpack.

"Workmen had to walk along the mile-long ride every day to check for loose bolts and worn patches."

Wow. Bet they do that only on a few thousand other coasters.

Ah yes, Larry. I sent him and Kristin Siebeniecher (sp) my resoom some moons ago when I was all fired up on working in the industry. Both really nice people.

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