Press Release
Metro State Precision Flight Team to receive Prestigious Loening Trophy
Contact: Tim Carroll, Office 303-556-5136, Cell 303-870-7705
Posted: January 24, 2012
WHAT: Metropolitan State College of Denver’s Department of Aviation and Aerospace Science will receive the Loening Trophy, the oldest and most prestigious collegiate aviation award, during a presentation on the Auraria Campus. The trophy is being presented to Metro State’s Precision Flight Team on behalf of the department; it recognizes the most outstanding all-around collegiate aviation program in the country.
The perpetual trophy, characterized as the “Stanley Cup” of collegiate aviation, is made of pure silver, designed by Tiffany & Co. and dates back to 1929. It was named after aviation pioneer and inventor Dr. Grover Loening. As the first aeronautical engineer hired by the Wright Brothers to manage the Wright Aircraft Company in 1913, Loening judged the first Loening award competition with Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart at his side.
WHEN: Monday, Jan. 30, 2012 • 3 – 5 p.m.
Event Agenda
Department Open House 3–5 p.m.
Award Presentation Program 3:45–4:15 p.m.
WHO: Speakers: Colorado Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia
Kim Day, Denver International Airport manager
Metro State President Steven Jordan
Jeff Forrest, Aviation and Aerospace Science Department chair
Pete Bro and Kathrine (Trine) Jorgensen Clement, NIFA Foundation
Metro State Precision Flight Team
WHERE: Metro State’s World Indoor Airport (1250 7th St. – Seventh Street Classroom Building)
WHY: The National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) foundation presents the traveling trophy annually to the top program in the country. The award represents excellence in aeronautical skills, and sets the current benchmark for an overall outstanding collegiate aviation program nationally. Key grading elements of the award include academics, community involvement, aviation skills, combined with a comprehensive safety program and an ability to advance the profession. The Metro State Precision Flight Team was named the winner of the coveted Loening Trophy at the 2011 SAFECON (Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference) competition hosted by Ohio State University, May 16-21, 2011.
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About Metropolitan State College of Denver - Aviation and Aerospace Science Department
Metro State has the fifth-largest collegiate aviation program in the country. In 2011, Metro State’s Precision Flight Team was awarded the Loening Trophy, the oldest and most prestigious collegiate aviation award recognizing the most outstanding all-around collegiate aviation program in the country. The department owns and operates the Robert K. Mock World Indoor Airport, one of the finest collegiate aviation and aerospace computer and flight simulator training laboratories in the world. Prior to their appointments as professional educators, all department faculty accumulated a wealth of diverse aviation or aerospace career experience. For more information, visit www.mscd.edu/aviation.
About Metropolitan State College of Denver
With nearly 24,000 students, Metro State is Colorado’s leader in educating undergraduate Coloradans, and enrolls the highest number of students of color among the state’s four-year colleges. The College now offers master’s degrees in accounting, teaching and social work. It boasts 70,500 alumni, the bulk of whom remain in Colorado after graduation.
