HU’S FLIGHT TEAM PLACES 3RD IN REGIONAL COMPETITION

Hampton, VA - Hampton University’s Flight Team placed third at the National Intercollegiate Flying Association’s (NIFA) Region 10 Safety Conference and Competition (SAFECON) held Nov. 12-15. The team earned an invitation to the National SAFECON Competition which will be held April 25 -May 1 at Middle Tennessee State in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

The Region 10 Competition was hosted by the U.S. Naval Academy at Webster Field in Lenardtown, Md. The six schools who participated in order of their standings in the competition were: Caldwell Community College, Hickory, N.C.; The U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.; Hampton University, Hampton, Va.; Lenoir Community College, Kinston, N.C.; Liberty University, Lynchburg, Va. and Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

The teams competed in ground and flight events. The ground events included manual computer accuracy, comprehensive air navigation, ground trainer simulated flight problem, aircraft preflight inspection, and aircraft recognition. Flight events consisted of precision power-on and power-off landings, air navigation and message drop.

The Flight Team is supported by the Aviation Department at Hampton University, which is directed by Carey Freeman, and the School of Engineering and Technology’s Dean Morris Morgan. The Hampton team consists of seven aviation students led by Team Captains, Michael Morris and Jonathan Turman and advised and coached by Aviation Department faculty member, Capt. Darryl Stubbs, a retired Navy pilot and past professor of Naval Science at Hampton University.

With the National Competition at Middle Tennessee State University on the horizon, the team is working steadily to ensure they are well prepared. To do this they need to raise the needed funds to prepare and to make the trip to the competition. Donations are being accepted and can be sent to the Department of Aviation, Hampton University, Hampton, Va. 23668. Make checks payable to the "Aviation Fund Hampton University."