The Royces say Goodbye

[cmeissen]

Mr. and Mrs. Royce,

Thank you for your dedication and commitment to FSAE. Your contributions have helped in making FSAE as successful as it has been. Your dedication and enthusiasm for the event will be sorely missed.

[rjwoods77]

One of the nicest people I have ever met. Also with a pitch line of "Because eggs is eggs" how could you not be cool.

[Kevin Dunn]

Mr. and Mrs. Royce,
It was nice meeting both of you last year at the 2008 Michigan competition. I'm sure I'm not alone when I tell you how much we all appreciate the hardwork and effort you made FSAE/FS in the time you've been involved. I enjoyed hosting your last Tech Inspector seminar at LTU and chatting with you and Suzanne on the plane to California also.

Good luck with everything and thanks again for your heavy involvement!

[Mikey Antonakakis]

Although we'd only spoken briefly at the last Michigan competition, I can say with confidence that everyone at Columbia will miss the two of you. How your integrity and fairness is in question is beyond me, and I hope all parties involved can come to an agreeable resolution.

I would personally like to thank you for our impact attenuator situation this year, because if it weren't for you we wouldn't have competed in any dynamic events.

I know I am not alone when I say that this announcement makes me very sad.

[michaelwaltrip]

Seriously?

The Royces were the most professional, fair, and had the most integrity of any FSAE staff I've ever had the chance of working with or talking to.

I'm extremely disappointed that a small group of people have to make the event as a whole worse for the majority. I hope that the powers-that-be at SAE come to their senses soon and realize how ridiculous these accusations are.

[ben]

First of all I'd like to add my appreciation for the Royce's work to the others on this thread.

It's a shame that certain accusations have caused this situation to arise. I can certainly remember the frustrations of competiting when you're sleep deprived and trying to race a car during exams, etc. To be told anything negative at this time is liable to cause a reaction, it's just a shame that something like this has escalated.

Mr and Mrs Royce, the competition would not be what it is without you. Thank you.

Ben

[Bazanaius]

It was an absolute pleasure finally meeting you for the first time this year - it appears I got in just in time! Seconding what everyone above has said, your enthusiasm and input personified the reason everyone is in this Formula.

I wish you all the best, and hope you to see you again in the UK next year.

[Adambomb]

Yes, it is truly a shame. You have both set the bar high and held a high standard, which is evident not only in the series' impeccable safety record but also in the quality of cars present. It is pretty common knowledge that the rules require very close scrutiny, no messing around there! Compare this to ASME HPV, where I've heard stories about PVC roll hoops, marginal (at best) suspensions and brakes, etc., and it becomes clear that your actions have made a huge impact on the quality of cars built these days. Even the Solar Car competition doesn't compare (just look at the brakes on any of ISU's solar cars), which is terrible when you consider those cars go on public roads!

Of course, with these high standards I suppose it is only natural that there would be some complaints. I think a lot of people can't appreciate how easily the whole series could be ruined by an accident...never mind the personal injury that is possible. Such a shame it had to come to this. I have also witnessed how much both of you bent over backwards to ensure everyone could compete. I can remember several instances where we had overlooked some seemingly minor (at least at the time of design and build) detail, but we were always given an opportunity to make whatever corrections were necessary on the spot so we could race. It takes quite the keen eye to spot these sort of problems before they become emergencies, and again, the safety record speaks for itself!

You will both be greatly missed, +1 on having some mighty big shoes to fill.

[Travis Garrison]

Wow, I wasn’t expecting this when I logged in this morning. Thank you for everything you and your wife have done to develop the series into what it is today. I can’t imagine how boring school would have been without FSAE there to put all that classroom work into perspective.

For what it’s worth I can honestly say I have never heard of a team being treated unfairly, plenty of us complained in the heat of competition I’m sure, but I’ve only heard good things about the work you and your wife have done for the rest of us during our college years.

Thanks.

Travis Garrison

[Homemade WRX]

Mr. and Mrs. Royce,

I would like to deeply thank you for all that you have done to promote and support this competition and to engineering education as a whole. Your presence will no doubt be missed by many.

You may remember me as the student with the most email questions for FSAE in 06

With warm regards,