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²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ’s flight teams winged their way to top-10 finishes at the national collegiate aviation championship, a weeklong competition that tests aviation knowledge and precision flying skills.

The Golden Eagles at the Prescott Campus placed third, while the Eagles Flight Team at the Daytona Beach Campus finished seventh at the competition, held May 18-23 at the Quad Cities International Airport in Moline, Illinois.

The Embry-Riddle teams were among 32 squads that competed in the championship, which is known as and hosted by the . Events included a mix of flight and ground challenges designed to evaluate accuracy, safety and technical expertise.

“This competition is an opportunity for our students to demonstrate the precision and professionalism they learn during their training,” said Jeannie Leavitt, dean of the College of Aviation at the Prescott Campus. “Experiences like SAFECON allow our students to showcase the skills that are essential throughout the aviation industry, and this year's results reflect their dedication and commitment.”

Golden Eagles Finish in Top Three

To capture third place, the Golden Eagles scored 385 points, with the team earning the overall Ground Events championship. Highlights included Ian Schiller earning first place in the Computer Accuracy event. His teammate Samuel Low placed second.

“It was cool to see four years of hard work in the event pay off, even though the team didn’t quite get the result we wanted,” Schiller said. “I’m still very proud of my teammates and our work as a team this year.”

Team members also earned strong finishes in the Aircraft Recognition challenge, with Myles Kopfle-Maurer placing third and Low placing fifth. In the Simulated Comprehensive Aircraft Navigation (SCAN) event, Ethan Michon placed second, while Lillian Vincent and Jonathan Chen finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Michon, a graduating senior and the team’s captain for the 2025-26 season, finished fifth nationally among top-scoring contestants and earned finishes in the top three in multiple events, including third in Aircraft Preflight Inspection. He was also named Prescott's Outstanding Team Member.

“I'm very honored to have been voted by my team as outstanding team member this year,” Michon said. “Out of all the awards I've received over the years, this is the one that tells me I've done my job as captain because I know my team's got my back. The team has truly become a second family.”

Eagles Flight Team Places in Top Ten

The Eagles Flight Team scored 235 points to earn seventh place overall. The team placed fourth in the Ground Events championship, a result Head Coach James Hanover attributed to the team focusing on its performance in the ground events. 

“They have done the best this team has ever seen in ground events over the past decade,” Hanover said.

Team members earned several notable individual finishes. Carson Ruhnke finished fourth in the Computer Accuracy event and Ethan Hill captured eighth place in the SCAN event. Hanover also highlighted the team's performance in the Traditional Navigation event, where team members finished second, seventh and 14th.

“Our current competitors, graduating seniors and coaches are excited for the future of the team, as we all play a part in our team's mission,” Hanover said.

Preparing to Soar Again

The 2026 SAFECON also marked the first national competition in which Golden Eagles squad used CubCrafters NX Cub aircraft alongside the university’s Cessna 172 fleet.

“The NXCub provides phenomenal tools for energy management and fantastic visibility within the cockpit,” said Jamison Wettergren, who competed in both Short Field Landing and Power-Off Landing events. “We’ve written chapter one in our journey with these new aircraft, and we’ll continue to learn and bring our best for next year’s competition.”

The Golden Eagles Flight Team, founded in 1979, has earned 16 national championships and remains one of the most successful programs in the competition’s history.

"I am extremely proud of this team and everything it accomplished this year. We put our best foot forward and put up some good points at the competition,” said Jonathan Lindgren, head coach of the Golden Eagles. “Going into the offseason, there’s a lot of work to be done.”

Lance McCuison, interim chair of the Flight Department, credited the team’s students, coaches and instructors for their strong performance, character and professionalism. “We're very excited to build on this team's outstanding momentum as we prepare for next year's competition,” he said.