Concourse: Student Life

Tigers take wing

Auburn will have a team competing for a national championship in May, but the competition won’t be held in a stadium, arena or pool.

Think “wild blue yonder.” Nova and Spirit won’t be the only eagles taking wing.

The War Eagle Flying Team will look for the national prize in Columbus, Ohio, when its student aviators compete in the ultimate destination for college pilots: the SAFECON trophy from the National Intercollegiate Flying Association.

Based in the College of Business, Auburn’s aviation program is the second-oldest in the United States. Its 12-member flying team is the only collegiate team in Alabama and among Southeastern Conference schools.

The team won its shot at the championship after finishing third in the regional event last October in Daytona Beach, Fla. The top three teams from each region are chosen to compete for the national championship.

The Auburn team is plagued by youth, says captain Blake Schuette, a junior in business management—a reason doing well at regionals was so important.

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