Skills Such As Precision Flying, IFR Simulation, Navigation

Kansas State University's Flight Team placed eighth at the National Intercollegiate Flying Association's National Safety And Flight Evaluation Conference and competition, May 16-21, hosted by The Ohio State University, Dublin, Ohio. The team won an invitation to the national competition by placing second in the Region VI SAFECON competition in October 2010.

SAFECON consists of 13 total events. K-State Flight Team members earned nine individual placements in the Top 20 in six events: Ground Trainer, IFR Simulated Flight, Message Drop, Navigation, Power-off Landing, and Short-field landing.

In the Ground Trainer event contestants fly a complex pattern of climbs, descents, and turns on a flight simulator. Scores are determined by the pilot's accuracy. The IFR Simulated Flight tests contestants on their ability to perform in a simulated instrument flight rules flight environment while adhering to the standard procedures required by the Aeronautical Information Manual and Air Traffic Control. In the Message Drop event, the pilot and drop master must work as a team to maneuver their airplane to drop a message container to hit a target on the ground while flying at 200 feet.

During the Navigation event, contestants have an hour to plan a cross-country flight over a three-to-five leg course between 70 and 120 nautical miles. They submit a flight plan, including estimated time en route for each leg, total elapsed time and fuel consumption, before takeoff. Points are awarded based on how closely the actual flight follows the plan.

The Short-field Landing event tests a pilot's skill at maneuvering and manipulating the aircraft. After taking off and flying a normal traffic pattern, the objective is to land as close to, if not on, the target line as possible. The Power-off Landing event is similar to the Short-field event, except that the approach is made by gliding to touchdown.

"I'm proud of our team," said Tom Karcz, assistant professor of aviation and the team's advisor. "We took eight members and they competed in multiple events and did well. They were up against teams with 30 competitors who had spent the last year focused on one only event."

K-State Flight Team members who placed in the top 20 were:

• Theron "Craig" Harper, senior in professional pilot, Eudora, 10th in Power-off Landing and 13th in Message Drop as drop master.
• Joe Englert, junior in professional pilot, Syracuse, 13th in Message Drop as pilot and 20th in Power-off landing.
• Dash Tsao, senior in professional pilot, Wichita, 16th in Navigation as pilot.
• Zachariah Powell, senior in professional pilot, Colorado Springs, CO, and team coach, 12th in Short-field Landing and 14th in Power-off Landing.
• Michael Potts, junior in professional pilot, Highlands Ranch, CO, 16th in Navigation as observer and voted Outstanding Team Member.
• Colton Daum, junior in professional pilot, Dix, NE, third in IFR Simulated Flight and 13th in Ground Trainer
• Ryan Enebo, junior in professional pilot, Sanger, TX, and team captain, 12th in Short-field Landing.

Kyle Simpson, senior in professional pilot, Mulvane, also competed.

"The experience our students have at SAFECON reinforces what they are learning in our program," said Kurt Barnhart, K-State's aviation department head. 

"Our program focuses on turning our students into the best pilots possible and the fact that they can hold their own in several events at the same competition speaks to the well-rounded training they receive at K-State," said Dennis Kuhlman, K-State Salina dean.

Kansas State University will host the 2012 National SAFECON competition on the Salina campus, home of the aviation department, May 14-19.

FMI: www.salina.k-state.edu/aviation