Ohio University aviation students will demonstrate their skills and attempt to rise above the competition at the Region III Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference, starting today.
The competition, promoted by the National Intercollegiate Flying Association and hosted by OU's Department of Aviation, will include everything from academic events to flying challenges.
Competitors ' 22 of which are OU students ' will participate in written, pre-flight, message drop, landing, and simulator tests, said B.J. Galloway, the interim chair of the department.
You have to have aviation in your blood from an early age to understand this stuff
he said.
Based on the old method of delivering important information to the troops during wartime, flyers in the message-drop competition will be given a container that they must attempt to drop into a barrel from 200 feet in the air at a speed of 90-100 knots '110-120 miles per hour.
It's usually measured in inches believe it or not Galloway said. Every once in a while you'll see somebody drop it right in the barrel.
The simulator event requires each person to memorize a flight pattern to the exact timing and degree. Because a computer monitors this challenge, even the slightest error will be noted.
You know if you see somebody in the hallway walking circles
they're probably just memorizing their flight pattern
Galloway said. They'll memorize it to the point that they can basically fly it in their sleep.
Other participating colleges are Ohio State University, Western Michigan University, Kent State University, the University of Cincinnati and Sinclair Community College.
The event, which will run until Saturday, takes place at the Gordon K. Bush Airport and Snyder Field in Albany. The competition is free and open to the public.
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