SDCC Flight Team... 

Sunday May 20, 2012 Awards and Returning from Salina  

The team's performance this year was both gratifying and humbling. Our first year at nationals in 2009 we placed 24 out of 33 teams in St. Louis. Not bad considering our size relative to the big schools. In 2010 we moved up a slot to 23rd in Terra Haute. Last year we moved up another place to 22nd in Columbus OH. Our goal this year was to break into the "teens." Given the lack of practice time (due to lack of funds), odds were that it was a long-shot. As coincidences go, SDCC's "Roll Call" chant at the General Briefing on the first day was prophetic. Kevin Brandt stands and delivers a cheer with the team following in chanting unison: "I, Believe, That, We, Will, Win..." -repeated 5 or 6 times followed by Dylan Jones standing alone, shouting "18th"!!! How ironic then that we should earn 18th place, right behind Liberty (16) and LeTourneau (17) Universities.  

You can see results of all the teams in the download from the previous report. Here is a summary of our performance: 

 Power-Off Landing (135 Competitors) 

1. Martin (28th)
2. Jones (34th)
3. Sims (53rd)
4. Judge (73rd)
5. Mayhugh (111th)

Short Field Landing (55 Competitors) - 2 Rounds (Event Shortened By Wind Limit) 

1. Mayhugh (16)
2. Martin (44)

 Navigation (80 Teams Competing) 

1. Mayhugh - Jones (28)
2. Judge - Harder (36)
3. Sims - Brandt (38)

Message Drop (27 Teams Competing - 1 Round (Event Shortened By Wind Limit) 

1. Mayhugh - Jones (11)

Ifr Simulator (28 Competitors) 

1. Elm (19)

 Simulated Comprehensive Air Navigation "Scan" (136 Competitors) 

1. Martin (22)
2. Jones (51)
3. Sims (89)
4. Harder (106)
5. Mayhugh (113)

Computer Accuracy "E6-B" (136 Competitors) 

1. Martin (5)
2. Harder (77)
3. Brandt (85)
4. Sims (112)
5. Gathman (130)

Aircraft Recognition "Acid" (136 Competitors) 

1. Mayhugh (87)
2. Martin (121)
3. Elm (123)
4. Jones (125)
5. Lowery (133)

Ground Trainer (Simulator Pattern) (55 Competitors) 

1. Martin (19)
2. Elm (30)

Preflight (Aircraft Preflight (55 Competitors) 

1. Mayhugh (42)
2. Sims (53)

Outstanding Team Member (Each Team Votes For Their "Mvp") 

• William Lowery

National Rankings (Top 136 Of 305 Competitors Are Ranked) 

1. Martin (50th Overall)  
2. Jones (76th  Overall ) - TIE  
3. Mayhugh (76th Overall ) - TIE  
4. Elm (131st  Overall ) 

 Sdcc Team Members 

1. Kyle Mayhugh (senior)
   2012 Flight Team Captain
2. Dylan Jones (junior)
   2013 Flight Team Captain (elect)
3. Paul Martin (senior)
4. Jenna Sims (junior)
5. Mike Elm (sophomore)
6. Jackson Judge (sophomore)
7. William Lowery (sophomore)
8. Laura-Beth Gathman (freshman)
9. Kayla Harder (freshman)
10. Kevin Brandt (freshman

Sdcc Flight Team Coaches 

• Captain Denny Breslin - Advisor and Head Coach
• Titus Dinkins - coach
• Captain Jeff Satterwhite - coach
• Captain Jill Geary - coach
• Colonel Steve Geary - coach
• Sean Brennan - coach 

With flight plans filed and planes packed, one thing remained an obstacle to our departure from Salina. Announcements at Saturday night's awards banquet were nearly drowned out by the din of a hard rainfall on the pavilion roof. "The rain is Tess, the is fire Joe and they call the wind Mariah" - words to the old Kingston Trio song seemed to describe the heat and wind, but the severe thunderstorm that had bore-sighted Salina and sent us scurrying to hangar our aircraft just before the banquet had split in two, sparing the flight line. But "Tess" did not pass completely without leaving a wet impression during the banquet.  

 By the time the awards celebrations were over, the streets were nearly dry again and the skies to the west looked promising for an 0800 departure in Sunday morning. The thing we fear most on these long trips aside from a mechanical breakdown is the weather. It can close off entire states from air navigation and ground flights for days. But in this case our team was blessed with good VFR (visual) weather allowing Dylan and Jenna to launch on schedule for El Cajon with stops in Borger TX, Almagordo  NM, and Tucson AZ. Jackson and Kayla followed close behind and stayed in radio contact the whole way home. Kyle and I launched an hour or so later making only one fuel stop 5 hours later in a town near Winslow AZ. From there it was a little over 2 hours to Gillespie Field. Even so we were able to talk to each other on the radio and monitor each other's progress.  

Titus and Will Lowery dropped Mike Elm and Laura-Beth Gathman off in Colorado Springs before driving over the Rockies on their 22 hour drive home with an over-night in St. George, Utah. Time in the van did not go wasted. Of course some slept, some studied, but the best product of the time spent in the SDCC van was the music video written, choreographed and "filmed" on the iPhone by Coach Titus Dinkins. We will post that video in time - most likely on YouTube. By 3pm Monday everyone was home safe and sound.   

The team will debrief performance and inventory the gear before signing off until the fall semester.  

With completion of SAFECON National Championships comes the end of the reign of Captain Kyle Mayhugh. I would like to thank Kyle and his leadership team for their service to the team. I also welcome his successor,Captain Dylan Jones. Thanks to all who donated time, energy and funds to the team. Thanks especially to the coaches who donated their precious time nights and weekends.

Read the "Salina Journal" SAFECON article.