The University of North Dakota Flying Team captured its 15th national championship with a total of 469 points -- an all-time National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) record and 71 points ahead of the runner up-at the NIFA SAFECON competition in St. Louis.  The team picked up its trophy at the NIFA awards banquet last Saturday.

"The NIFA National Championship is equivalent to the NCAA Championships for athletics," said Bruce Smith, dean of UND Aerospace. "It is a benchmark for measuring the overall excellence of our college's academic and flight operations activities."

This year's win was the UND Flying Team's 15th in 25 SAFECON competitions. UND Flying Team co-captain Ryan Guthridge also nailed down SAFECON's National Top Pilot Award, earning 107 points, including first place in the short-field landing accuracy event. The 2009 SAFECON competition was hosted by Parks College, a division of St. Louis University.

"This was one of those magical teams that seldom comes along," said Jim Higgins, UND Aerospace associate professor and the team's lead coach. "The team had extraordinary senior leadership, an abundance of natural talent, and a work-ethic not often seen.  I am very proud of our complete team effort." 

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach placed second with a score of 398 points and Western Michigan University was third with 291 points.

NIFA was formed before World War I . . .

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