Jacksonville University Flight Team Secures Third Place at Region IX SAFECON
Jacksonville University’s Flight Team earned a third-place overall finish at the 2026 SAFECON Region IX competition, securing a spot at the national championship this spring in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
The National Intercollegiate Flying Association organizes the regional event, which took place in Daytona Beach, Florida, with flight events hosted at Massey Ranch Airpark and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. More than 80 collegiate aviators competed across multiple ground and flight events.
Ground Events and Navigation Results
In addition to the team’s third-place overall standing, JU also finished third in flight events and third in the Judges Award category. Competitors faced strong winds throughout the week, adding difficulty to flight events that demand precision, sound judgment, and adaptability.
Individual student aviators placed across several specialized categories:
- Preflight Inspection: Landon Turley, 2nd place; Andrew Matticola, 6th place.
- Instrument Simulator: Paige Carlson, 3rd place.
- Ground Trainer: Mya Lee, 5th place.
- E6B Competition: Kendall Boyer, 10th place.
Course events yielded multiple top placements for the team. Mya Lee and Andrew Matticola finished fourth in Traditional Navigation, followed by Jakob Werl and Grace Andrew in fifth, and Renn Ludford and Austin Parrish in sixth. In Crew Resource Management, Andrew Matticola and Jakob Werl took fourth place.
Students Excel in Landing Competitions and Message Drop Events
The Message Drop competition brought lighter moments to the schedule, with several participants wearing costumes. Mya Lee, competing alongside a participant from LaGrange College, secured second place. Caden O’Neal and Jakob Werl placed third, and Andrew Matticola and Adam Gigante finished 10th.
In landing events, Andrew Matticola placed second in Power-On Landings, while Mya Lee finished 10th. Renn Ludford earned eighth place in Power-Off Landings.
Outside of the scheduled events, students visited the beach, played mini golf, and participated in pickleball games. The JU Flight Team will now prepare for the national competition in Wisconsin, aiming to build on its regional performance.
