The Kent State University Precision Flight Team was recognized on Nov. 16 by the Ohio House of Representatives during a session at the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. Representatives Kristina Roegner and Kathleen Clyde passed a resolution to acknowledge the team for being awarded the prestigious Loening Trophy in 2010.

Several members of the flight team attended the session, including Faculty Advisor Dr. Richard Mangrum, Head Coach Tim Palcho and Team Captain Myles Grimm.

“It’s nice that Representatives Roegner and Clyde are aware of what we’re doing here at Kent State and take the time to acknowledge our efforts,” Mangrum says. “They certainly didn’t have to do it, but it’s wonderful to be recognized.”

The Loening Trophy is awarded annually to the most outstanding
all-around collegiate aviation program in the country. The Kent State Precision Flight team won the highly coveted award at the National Intercollegiate Flying Association’s 2010 SAFECON (Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference) competition in Terra Haute, Ind.

“This recognition really represents everything we’ve been doing and what’s great about Kent State’s flight program and Kent State as a whole,” says Grimm, a senior flight technology major from Crystal Beach, Ontario.
“It symbolizes how hard our team has worked and how much it paid off.”

During the competition, which took place in May 2010, more than 450 students representing 29 aviation colleges and universities from across the country competed against each other in 13 different flying and nonflying events. Events included landing, navigation, planning and aircraft recognition.

The Loening Trophy represents superb achievement in aeronautical skills and represents the current benchmark for an overall outstanding collegiate aviation program. Keys for selecting the award recipient include emphasis placed on academics, community involvement, aviation skills and their advancement, a comprehensive safety program and professionalism combined with a proactive enhancement of the future of aviation.