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National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA)

The National Intercollegiate Flying Association exists today as a forum for collegiate aviators to expand their studies and further their careers by participating in competitive and non-competitive events, networking with industry and contemporaries, and applying themselves to go above-and-beyond their ordinary curriculum.

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Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference (SAFECON)

SAFECON is the competition hosted by NIFA each year. Ohio State competes in Region III of NIFA, which hosts a Regional SAFECON in the fall. The top three schools in each Regional SAFECON receive an invitation to the National SAFECON. In a National SAFECON, over three hundred fifty students compete under the direction of eighty-six coaches and advisors, ninety judges, and forty volunteers and airport staff. Six flight events, five ground events, and twelve individual and team events are contested.

Ground Events

  • Computer Accuracy (E6B/CR3)

    • Ground based test using functions and formulas of the E6B Manual Flight Computer.

  • Simulated Comprehensive Aeronautical Navigation (SCAN)

    • Ground based test encompassing a given flight situation. Questions relate to aeronautical knowledge and performance calculations for the given flight.

  • Aircraft Recognition

    • Ground based test where competitor is given three seconds to view a picture of an aircraft and must identify the manufacturer, model, and nickname if applicable.

  • Aircraft Preflight Inspection

    • Competitor is given 15 minutes to thoroughly inspect an aircraft that has been “bugged” with anywhere from 30 to 60 discrepancies. The winner is the competitor with most accurate calls.

  • Ground Trainer/Simulator

    • Using a flight simulator or FTD, competitors fly a predetermined pattern as accurately as possible. Points are given every second for every foot, knot, and degree off of pattern requirements.

Flying Events

  • Power-Off and Power-On Precision Landings

    • Pilot is judged on safe pattern criteria as well as precision spot landing. For power-offs, power is reduced to idle abeam the touchdown point. For short fields, power is reduced beam the touchdown point and can only be further reduced to landing. Along with pattern penalty points, the distance from the specified touchdown line determines the winner of the event.

  • Navigation

    • A two-person crew is given a route to fly. The pilot will plan the route as accurately as possible to the exact second and tenth of a gallon of fuel burn. The crew will then fly the route as close as possible to the planning of the pilot. Along the flight, there may also be visual checkpoints that the crew must identify.

  • Message Drop

    • A pilot and bombardier fly at 200’ above the ground at cruise power over two specified targets. The bombardier launches message containers as closely as possible to the target.

Competition Schedule

2024 Region III SAFECON

The Ohio State University Airport

Columbus, Ohio

October 6-11, 2024

2025 NIFA SAFECON

Wittman Regional Airport

Oshkosh, Wisconsin

May TBD 2025

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