OSU Flying Aggies finish second in regional competition

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Media Contact: Rachel Eng | Marketing and Communications Manager | 405-744-8320 | rachel.eng@okstate.edu

The Oklahoma State University Flying Aggies Flight Team won second place at the 2021 Region IV SAFECON competition.

The event was hosted by the National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, on Oct. 25-29. This marked the team’s first face-to-face competition since the beginning of the pandemic.

“This was the first time our team has been able to compete, other than virtual events, in over two years,” said Dr. Matt Vance, flight team coach and associate professor of aviation and space. “Our team performed remarkably well, considering we only had four returning team members with previous face-to-face competition experience.”

Flight team members participated in events that tested their abilities both in the aircraft and on the ground, including aircraft preflight inspection, aircraft recognition, computer accuracy, message drop, landing, navigation and more.

In addition to placing second overall with 204 total team points, OSU placed first in the Flight Events Championship and third in the Ground Events Championship.

“I’m very proud of my team’s performance, especially the flying events, as well as their esprit-de-corps and their professionalism in the face of challenge,” Vance said.

The OSU Flying Aggies Flight Team will compete at the NIFA SAFECON National Championship at Ohio State University in May.