St. Louis University Flying Billikens Prepare for National Competition

(NIFA graphic)

By Carmelo Turdo

The St. Louis University Flying Billikens are heading to the National Intercollegiate Flying Association national competition next week in Janesville, WI. The team placed third overall in last fall's Region 6 contest held at the team's home field, St. Louis Downtown Airport, and now they are ready to take on the best teams in the country. 

The Aero Experience visited with the Flying Billikens during a recent early morning training session. Five competitors launched to practice their spot landing skills before the regular flight operations began for the day. The clean aerodynamics of the Diamond DA20 fleet aircraft require highly-developed skills to land within feet of the runway markers. 

(St. Louis University graphic)

During our visit, we interviewed three of the team leaders, Sebastian Valenzuela, Hudson Pettit and Troy Ettenson, for some insight into the events making up the SAFECON national competition. Hear their responses in the video below.

The St. Louis University Flying Billikens can still make the claim, "We are Number One," regardless of the results from next week's SAFECON national competition. The university's flight program is an outgrowth of the original Parks Air College, founded by Oliver L. Parks, in 1927. Parks Air College became the first federally certificated flight training school in 1929, and thereafter added a student-run airline, trained cadets at four airfields during World War II and later was gifted to St. Louis University. Parks College operated on its own campus in Cahokia, IL until being absorbed into St. Louis University in 1997. Currently, Parks College is known as the Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation Science, and flight operations continue at St. Louis Downtown Airport. 

The Aero Experience thanks The Flying Billikens for hosting our visit, and we wish them great success in the SAFECON national competition!