HU Flight Team Qualifies for National Competition for 4th Time in 5 Years

Hampton, VA - The Hampton University Flight Team earned an invitation to the National Intercollegiate Flying Association's National Safety Conference and Competition (SAFECON) after finishing second at the NIFA Region Ten SAFECON Oct. 26-30 in Lynchburg, Va.

This marks the fourth time in five years HU qualified for the competition, according to Darryl Stubbs, the team’s coach and advisor. The nationals will be held May 8-13 at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio and the Pirates will be the only HBCU competing.

The team placed first in flight events and second in ground events at the regional competition, hosted by Liberty University and held at the Lynchburg Regional Airport.

The ground events were-manual computer accuracy, air navigation, ground trainer simulated comprehensive air navigation problem (SCAN), aircraft preflight, and aircraft recognition.

Flight events consisted of- precision power-on and power-off landings, air navigation and message drop.

In the battle to score points for the team by placing in the top 10 competitors in each event, James Ide, the HU team captain, took home first place in navigation, eighth in power-on landing, third in aviation accuracy, fourth in ground trainer, third in SCAN and second in preflight. This performance placed him second in the “Top Pilot” competition and the HU Flight Team voted him “outstanding team member.”

Dan Didier came away with fifth place in navigation, fourth in power-off landing, 10th in message drop, ninth in aircraft recognition, fifth in ground trainer, and eighth in preflight.

Mike Haskins was seventh in power-off landing, fifth in power-on landing, sixth in message drop, 10th in aviation computer accuracy, sixth in SCAN, and fifth in preflight.

Lamar Williams finished second in aircraft recognition and first in preflight. Andre Watkins-Clark took home first place in message drop and seventh in aircraft recognition.

Stacey France placed eighth in message drop and ninth in aviation computer accuracy, while Jonathan Clark placed second in message drop and ninth in preflight.

This is the highest a Hampton team has finished in the regional competition and, according to Stubbs, prospects are good that the team will place well among the 30 schools participating in the national competition.