The Tecnam P92 MkII will be a pivotal asset during competitions, showcasing its prowess in message drops, navigation, power-off landings, and various challenging events. Known for its success in Region IX flight competitions, the Eagles Flight Team aims to elevate its performance with this cutting-edge addition.

Ken Byrnes, Embry-Riddle’s assistant dean and flight chair, emphasized the significance of selecting the Tecnam P92 MkII.

• READ MORE: Tecnam P92 MkII Enters New Era 

“Our selection of the Tecnam P92 at Embry-Riddle reflects a step change in the continuation of providing safe, reliable, and cost-efficient platforms for our Eagle’s Flight Team to remain competitive in the future,” Byrnes said.

David Copeland, director of sales at Tecnam U.S., also expressed enthusiasm about the Eagles Flight Team adopting Tecnam’s aircraft.

“The P92 is a stable, solid, and cost-effective platform that has proven to be the go-to aircraft for flight school programs around the world,” Copeland said. “We are excited to see the Eagles Flight Team piloting Tecnams into the future.”

The P92 MkII boasts enhanced short-field performance, superior climb characteristics, and increased efficiency, thanks to its composite fuselage. With an expanded cabin volume offering improved comfort and advanced Garmin G3X touch avionics, including synthetic view and ground proximity warning, the Eagles Flight Team gains a technological edge in its collegiate aviation pursuits.Tecnam stands at the forefront of eco-friendly aviation initiatives—and the P92 MkII is no exception. Recognized as part of the world’s most environmentally friendly training fleet, Tecnam’s commitment to sustainability aligns with the aviation industry’s emissions goals. Flight schools using Tecnam’s single- and twin-engine fleet can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 60 percent, setting a new standard in eco-friendly flight training.

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Our first waypoint is the Navigation Event. This challenge sets the stage for a cross-country journey spanning between 70 nm and 120 nm over a three-to-five-leg course. Contestants are tasked with creating a meticulous flight plan, including estimations of en-route time for each leg, total elapsed time, and anticipated fuel consumption. The contestant with the least penalties takes home the accolades, epitomizing the key piloting skills of planning, time management, and fuel economy.

Next up, we taxi into the Short-field Landing Event. This contest is designed to gauge each pilot’s aircraft control finesse. After a standard traffic pattern departure, the goal is to touch down as close to the target line as possible, with the added restriction of being unable to increase power once it’s reduced. The pilot’s score is calculated from the distance in feet between the target line and where the wheels make their first contact with the runway. The pilot with the lowest cumulative total, including any technique penalties from two landings, wins.

Our journey continues with the Power Off Landing Event. This is a sibling to the Short-field Event but with an added twist. Here, the power must be cut to idle on the downwind leg once abeam the target line, testing the pilot’s ability to glide and maneuver the aircraft for the remainder of the traffic pattern and hopefully land precisely on the target line.

Finally, we dive into the thrilling Message Drop Event. Here, the objective is to hit a ground target with a message container released from 200 feet in the air. This event necessitates flawless coordination between the pilot and drop master, as they maneuver the aircraft to align the container drops with the target. The contestant achieving the lowest total distance from the two targets takes home the trophy.

So, prepare for a head-spinning journey into the realm of university-level aviation in “Episode 5: The Flight Competition.” The captivating world of SAFECON 2023 is unfolding, and we’re ecstatic to guide you through the thrilling twists and turns. Get set for Episode 6!

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First, we take you inside the cockpit of a Frasca RTD (reconfigurable training device) with Garmin G1000 panel for the ground trainer event. This isn’t just any simulator—it’s a tool that turns abstract concepts into real-world applications. As students maneuver through the training pattern, they do so under strict guidelines: Electronic devices are only allowed as silent timers, and the pattern provided by the judge is their only guide. This isn’t just about testing their knowledge—it’s about ensuring accuracy under pressure, all while maintaining the integrity of the competition.

• SAFECON Championship: The Ground Competition

Then, we dive into the high-stakes realm of the IFR Sim Event, again featuring Frasca’s latest simulator, the RTD configured as a Cessna 172 with the G1000 flight deck. Contestants take to simulated skies, navigating adverse weather conditions. However, this isn’t a full-avionics-suite experience—the G1000 is simplified, so advanced features such as GPS, autopilot, auto tune, and zoom are off-limits. This restriction places the focus on the competitors’ core piloting skills and their ability to adapt and react under intense pressure.

• SAFECON Championship: What Teams Qualified?

Finally, we give you a front-row seat to the teamwork extravaganza that is the CRM/LOFT Event. This year, the emphasis rests on giving competitors more hands-on time with the simulator, while still maintaining the intensity of the event. Each team navigates its short flight from Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, familiarizing itself with the crew expectations and the simulator’s navigational equipment. Autopilot isn’t an option here. It’s all about manual control and effective team communication.

• SAFECON National Championship: ‘March Madness of Aviation’

So, get ready for this adrenaline-packed journey into the world of collegiate aviation in “Episode 4: The Ground Simulator.” The riveting world of SAFECON 2023 continues to unfold, and we’re thrilled to have you along for the ride. See you for Episode 5!

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Here at FLYING, we’re excited to share “Episode 3: The Ground Competition,” the next installment of our six-part SAFECON 2023 series. This episode pulls back the curtain on the ground portion of the competition, showing you the intense prep and brain-teasing challenges the teams tackle.

• READ MORE: SAFECON Championship: What Teams Qualified?

We’ll take you into the heart-pounding rush of the Aircraft Recognition Event, where competitors have a mere 15 seconds to identify an aircraft’s manufacturer, model number, and common name from a 3-second slide.

You’ll get to witness the mental gymnastics in the Computer Accuracy challenge, as contestants race against time, crunching complex flight planning calculations on a manual E6B flight computer.

And, we’ll show you the meticulous detective work involved in the Preflight Inspection Event, where participants comb over an aircraft seeded with 30 unairworthy discrepancies, racing to find as many as they can in 15 minutes.

• SAFECON National Championship: ‘March Madness of Aviation’

We’re releasing a new episode of our behind-the-scenes dive into SAFECON 2023 every week until the end of July. Tune in, and get a firsthand look at what it takes to be a NIFA SAFECON champion. See you next episode!

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