The team's coaches, Glen Davis and Eric Armstrong, are adjunct professors in the Department of Aviation and Aerospace Science. Both graduates of Metro, Davis is a first officer for Frontier Airlines and Armstrong is a captain for Air Wisconsin.

"We came in second to Air Force last year, too," said Davis. "They have 15 members on their team while Metro only has nine, so it's hard for us to overtake them."

Nevertheless, the team's second-place finish qualifies them to compete in NIFA's national competition at Middle Tennessee State College April 26-May 4, 2005.

Top Pilot Alex Brancard brought home first-place medals in three events and placed in seven. "Alex beat his next closest rival, an Air Force cadet, by almost double the points, which is an astounding feat," Davis said.

This is the second year in a row that Metro has finished second to Air Force, and it's the second year a team member has earned the Top Pilot award. In addition, Metro State was chosen to host next year's NIFA Region I competition.

Department Chair Jeff Forrest is effusive in his praise for the team and its coaches. "It's totally remarkable that our team does so extremely well, especially when you consider that it's a 100 percent volunteer operation and all the other teams are fully funded and have their own planes," he said.

For instance, Forrest points out that the Air Force Academy team gets release time, is federally funded and has a fleet of professionally maintained aircraft. "Metro, on the other hand, must raise its own money to rent planes and practice on their own time at whatever airport they can," he explained. "I love it because I think it's the true can-do spirit of Metro."