Jessica Mellon competes with LETU Flight Team, wins third place in the Navigation team event

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LETU Flight Team NIFA 2010 photo

LONGVIEW, TX (12/10/2010)(readMedia)-- Jessica Mellon, a junior from Richland, Pa. majoring in Aircraft Systems at LeTourneau University, won third place in the Navigation team event. Team members have an hour to plan a cross-country flight plan and submit it before take off, then the team member flies the route and is judged on how accurately the plan matched their flight.

Mellon also won third place in the Simulated Comprehensive Aircraft Navigation (SCAN) event. Students are tested on preflight planning and on enroute navigation based on charts for a hypothetical flight from departure to destination and return to point of departure.

LeTourneau University's "Sting" Precision Flight Team won first place overall, first place in ground events and third place in the flying events at the recent National Intercollegiate Flying Association's 2010 Region IV SAFECON competition hosted by Central Texas College in Killeen, Texas. The competition was held Nov. 2-6. The team's first place overall win at regionals qualifies the students to compete May 16-21, 2011 in Columbus, Ohio at the Ohio State University.

"This is the third consecutive year we have won first place in this competition," said Brad Wooden, assistant chief flight instructor, faculty advisor and team coach.

LETU competes regionally with schools in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

LeTourneau University is an interdenominational Christian university located in Longview, Texas, offering academic majors in aeronautical science, business, education, engineering, health care, the humanities and sciences. LeTourneau University also offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs for working adults online and at educational centers in Austin, Bedford, Dallas, Houston and Tyler