ALPA Acknowledges Student Pilots at 2013 NIFA SAFECON

ALPA continues to be a proud sponsor of the annual National Intercollegiate Flying Association’s Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference (NIFA SAFECON). This year’s week-long competition was hosted by The Ohio State University (OSU) in Columbus, Ohio, May 6-11.

ALPA pilot volunteers manned a booth at the hangar part of the week to provide the collegiate pilots with educational materials and offered them guidance on the profession. Education Committee volunteers FO Stanley Adams (Compass), FO Alice McCormack (ExpressJet), FO David Rowe (Delta), and Capt. Daniel Schultz (Compass) also hosted a pizza forum for close to 250 students on Thursday evening. The hot topic of discussion was the new rules going into effect in August for first officers at Part 121 carriers and how the rules and requirements will affect the up and coming pilots.

On behalf of ALPA, First Officers Adams and Rowe attended the awards banquet that concluded the week and presented the cash award scholarships to the top national pilot and his school, and the 11 regional top pilot winners. Student pilot Carl Black from the Prescott campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University took the National Top Pilot Award, receiving $1,000 for himself as well as his school. The 11 regional top pilots also received $500 awards from ALPA.

Next year’s SAFECON will be hosted again in Columbus by OSU.