Top Spot for LeTourneau Team

LONGVIEW — LeTourneau University’s “Sting” Precision Flight Team won first place overall, first place in ground events and third place in the flying events at the recent National Intercollegiate Flying Association’s 2010 Region IV SAFECON competition. It was hosted by Central Texas College in Killeen, Texas. The team’s first place overall win at regionals qualifies the students to compete May 16-21, 2011 in Columbus, Ohio at The Ohio State University.

“This is the third consecutive year we have won first place in this competition,” said Brad Wooden, assistant chief flight instructor, faculty advisor and team coach. “Weather played a role in the scheduling of events this year. Tuesday, the weather was cold, rainy and windy, so we weren’t able to practice landings. All the ground events were completed on Wednesday. Thursday was too windy to safely do landings, so navigation and message drop were held. Landings were done on Friday when wind died down.”

LeTourneau competes regionally with schools in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

Members of the 2010-11 “Sting” Precision Flight Team from LeTourneau University are, pictured from left, Rachel Ballou, Michael Felts, Caleb Waite, Brandon McCann, Sam Myers, Steve Hederstedt, Bennett Hoogewerf, Jered Gebel, Patrick Harney, Stephanie Amavisca, Ken Misiak, Alex Minium, Chad Mertz, Jessie Mellon, Marc Gravelle and Daniel Johnson.