The SDCC Flight Team launched for the National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) SAFECON (Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference) competition in St. Louis Mo. in 4 airplanes, making 5 stops in two days, arriving in St. Louis Saturday afternoon May 15, 2009. The competition began on Monday morning and continued through Saturday. The team departed for home on Sunday May 24.
Team Captain Mathew Belden joined fellow team members Kyle Loenhorst, Aaron Varela, Steve Clark, Titus Dinkins, David Garcia, Clayton Hawley, Ruth Naranjo and Paul Martin in the competition.