AviCom 2023

Sponsored by:
Aviation Supplies & Academics | AviNation USA | Charleston Southern University | Lift Academy | Lowcountry Aerospace Academy | National Intercollegiate Flying Association | Triple Tree Aerodrome

AviCom 2023 Official Results

Team Simulated Flight

1st - Philip Simmons High School

2nd - Pickens County Career and Technology Center

3rd - St. Joseph’s Catholic High School


Individual Aviation Knowledge Test

1st - Dennis Morozov, James F. Byrnes High School

2nd - Cason Wells, Academy for the Arts, Sciences, and Technology

3rd (tie) - Sam Sablotsk, Philip Simmons High School

3rd (tie) - Ethan McCleary, Academic Magnet High School


Individual Aircraft Recognition Test

1st - Anderson Spina, Philip Simmons High School

2nd - Braxton Anglesey, Battery Creek High School

3rd - Cason Wells, Academy for the Arts, Sciences, and Technology


Individual Best Combined Average Score

Andersen Spina, Philip Simmons High School

Images

Sponsors

Special thanks to our top sponsor!

Triple Tree Aerodrome

Sponsor of the Grand Prize. Sponsor of the traveling trophy, school trophy, and flight experience for the winning team of the simulated flight competition.  Provided financial assistance for transporting teams in the Upstate to Patriots Point. 

Visit: https://tta.aero/

Aviation Supplies & Academics

Sponsor of testing materials and prizes for the Simulated Flight Competition and the Airman Knowledge Test.

Charleston Southern University

Lunch Sponsor and Discussion Panel Member

Leadership in Flight Training

Breakfast Sponsor and Discussion Panel Member

National Intercollegiate Flying Association

Sponsor of testing materials and prizes for the Aircraft Recognition Test.

McFarland Johnson

Dinner Sponsor

Greenville Tech Charter High School
providing scholarships for worthy students.

Lowcountry Aerospace Academy

providing refreshments.

AviNation

providing media coverage.

Other Participating Organizations.

Basic Info

Who: South Carolina high school students in aviation and aerospace programs.
What: Individuals and teams of students will compete for trophies and prizes.
When: February 1st, 2023. Students will arrive on January 31st for the overnight experience.
Where: Patriots Point Flight Academy on board the USS Yorktown.

Why: To achieve the mission learning objectives.

Mission Objectives

The mission is for students to demonstrate their aviation knowledge and skills through competition aligned with the following standards:

Academic Standards

Airman Certification Standards


Competition Details

Students will compete in teams and individually. Teams will compete in a simulated flight.  Individually, students will be tested on airman knowledge and aircraft identification. 

Simulated Flight Mission Completion Criteria

The exact details of the mission will be revealed after arriving onboard the Yorktown.  The aircraft type, departure airport, arrival airport, and weather outlook will be briefed the night before the competition.  Competitors are expected to be able plan a VFR flight and use a flight simulator to execute their plan. Competitor will be evaluated on the time and fuel required to complete the flight, minus any demerits for violating regulations and standard procedures.  Competitors are expected to be able to use a flight simulator to:

Airman Knowledge

Multiple-choice test aligned with the mission learning objectives.   The test will have a time limit.

Aircraft Identification

Students will identify twenty (20) aircraft.  For each aircraft to be identified, an image of one aircraft will be shown for a few seconds and then several seconds will be allowed to select answers from multiple choices.

Rules

Student participants may be certified as Student Pilots but students must not have yet received primary pilot certification.

Individuals can not take the airman knowledge and aircraft identification test without being on a team that competes in the simulated flight.

Space is limited to ten (10) teams.

For the simulated flight competition, arriving first does not mean you win. Scoring will be based on a combination of time and fuel used minus demerits for violating mission completion criteria.

The airman knowledge and aircraft identification tests will be curved.

After the mission briefing, and before the simulated flight, students are to develop their flight plans only with the other students on their team.  Teachers, coaches, instructors, and parents are not to help students with the flight plans.

Prizes and Trophies

Grand Prize: $1,000 Flight Training Scholarship and Trophy, sponsored by Triple Tree Aerodrome, awarded to the individual who has the best combined score in the flight simulation, airman knowledge, and aircraft identification.


Team Prizes for the Simulated Flight Competition 

Co-sponsored by Aviation Supplies and Academics (ASA)

Co-sponsored by Triple Tree Aerodrome


Individual Prizes for the Airman Knowledge Competition

Sponsored by Aviation Supplies and Academics (ASA)


Individual Prizes for the Aircraft Identification Competition

Accommodations

Students and teachers will be staying onboard the USS Yorktown, which is the centerpiece of Patriots Point Navel and Maritime Museum.   See the "Operation Overnight" web page for more information about what is included, what to pack, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Off-ship Accommodations

Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina is a very nice facility within walking distance of the Yorktown.  Late January and early February are the off-season and rooms are typically available at reasonable rates. 

Schedule

Arrival Instructions

Students and teachers must arrive on Tuesday on time to check-in before orientation which begins at 4:00pm. Sponsors and guests are not expected until Wednesday.

Display your Parking Pass upon arrival (only required on Tuesday for those staying overnight).

Address: 40 Patriots Point Road, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464


Cars Main Entrance Map Pin Location 1

The gate house attendant will have a list of participants.

Buses Drive past the Main Entrance.  At the roundabout, take the first right, and then right again,

following signs to Patriots Point Employee and Bus Parking. Map Pin Location 2

Text Event Director on arrival (864) 735-3702

Check-in

Everyone will check-in and pick up event ID at either onshore, prior to walking down the pier, or at the Information Booth just inside the main entrance to the ship.

All participants must turn-in a signed Patriots Point Media Waiver.

All participants will receive AviCom ID with lanyard.

All students will receive an AviCom t-shirt. 

Orientation 

4 p.m. - Patriots Point Camping staff will provide orientation and expectations for the overnight experience.

Dinner

5 p.m. Pizza Night! All meals and snacks are served in the CPO Mess Hall below the main deck.

Evening Sessions

Teams, including teachers/coaches, and AviCom Crew will be split into Alpha Group and Bravo Group.

Alpha Group Activity Order

Bravo Group Activity Order

Flight Planning

AviCom Crew will meet to review competition logistics (CPO Mess Hall, then Flight Academy classroom).

Teams will use this time to plan their flight (any available location).

Lights Out - 11:00 pm

Reveille - 6:30 am

Teams must pack up belongings and leave them on their bunk.

Breakfast 

7 a.m. Chick-fil-a

Teams will surrender all communication devices to their teacher/coach.

Morning Sessions

Alpha Group

Bravo Group

Teachers/Coaches

Sponsors and Guests

Lunch

12:00 - Sandwich Trays. All are invited to lunch.

Communication devices returned to students.

Panel Discussion

  All gather in the main theater at 1:00 pm

Panel Members

Discussion Leader: Bryan Haffey, Dean of Academics at St. Josephs Catholic School, Certified Flight Instructor, FAASTeam Representative

Awards Ceremony

Robb Williams, Executive Director of Triple Tree Aerodrome, will present the awards.

Closing Remarks

Doug Adomaits, Aviation Educator at Greenville Technical Charter High School, will give closing remarks.

“There can only be one first time.”