Longview — (Longview, Texas)—LeTourneau University’s “Sting” Precision Flight Team was awarded the Competition Safety Award at the 2012 National Intercollegiate Flight Association SAFECON flight competition hosted by Kansas State University, in Salina, Kansas. The LETU flight team placed 17th overall in the nation at the competition that attracted over 400 competitors on 28 teams from universities all over the country. LETU placed 15th in Flight Events and 15th in Ground Events.

Flight students Sam Myers (pilot) and Justin Sutton (co-pilot) were LETU’s highest placing competitors, placing first in the Crew Resource Management event. LETU also won the CRM event in 2010. 2010 was the first year LETU had ever had a 1st place ranking in an event at the National level. Outstanding team member award went to Sam Myers.

“I am really excited about our team winning the Safety Award especially due to the high winds and difficult flying conditions we had throughout the week at K-State,” said coach Brad Wooden. “And this year is the second time for us to have a first place in the CRM event at the national level.”

Team members of the 2012 Sting Flight Team competing at nationals included Captains Patrick Harney, Luke Sjoblom, and Sam Myers and competitors Whitney Brouwer, Nathan Moses, Jessie Robinson, Erica Smith, Justin Sutton and Trent Wiens. Coaches were Brad Wooden, Chad Mertz, and Andrew Robinson.

Rankings in other events were as follows:

Certified Flight Instructor

7 Patrick Harney

Short-field Landings

14 Trent Wiens

41 Patrick Harney

Navigation

27 Luke Sjoblom (pilot), Sam Myers (observer)

Aircraft Preflight Inspection

19 Patrick Harney

33 Jessie Robinson

Power Off Landings

76 Patrick Harney

122 Luke Sjoblom

Computer Accuracy

66 Patrick Harney

72 Trent Wiens

75 Whitney Brouwer

129 Sam Myers

Aircraft Recognition

22 Sam Myers

41 Justin Sutton

97 Nathan Moses

100 Luke Sjoblom

102 Patrick Harney

Ground Trainer

17 Justin Sutton

47 Nathan Moses

IFR Simulated flight

26 Nathan Moses

Simulated Comprehensive Aircraft Navigation

17 Patrick Harney

54 Nathan Moses

91 Luke Sjoblom

95 Jessie Robinson

123 Erica Smith

Top Scoring Pilots

62 Trent Wiens

62 Justin Sutton

76 Sam Myers

105 Patrick Harney

LeTourneau University is an interdenominational Christ-centered university located in Longview, Texas, offering academic majors in aviation, business, criminal justice, education, engineering, health science-nursing, human services, liberal arts, science and psychology. LeTourneau University also offers graduate degrees in business administration, counseling, education, engineering, psychology and strategic leadership. In addition to its residential campus in Longview, the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs online and at educational centers in Athens, Austin, Baytown, Bedford, Dallas, Harlingen, Houston, and Tyler.