# UNO Flight Team Soars to National Success with Dual Championships  
**Published:** 2026-06-12T10:00:00.000Z  
**Source:** [Flatwater Free Press](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/when-mavs-fly-the-best-omaha-team-youve-never-heard-of-soars-to-new-heights/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/uno-flight-team-soars-to-national-success-with-dual-championships

The University of Nebraska at Omaha Flight Team achieved a historic milestone in May, becoming one of Omaha's highest-achieving athletic programs by winning two national championships at the National Intercollegiate Flying Association's SAFECON competition in Moline, Illinois, according to [reporting by the Flatwater Free Press](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/when-mavs-fly-the-best-omaha-team-youve-never-heard-of-soars-to-new-heights/).

[Cullen "Bill" Leitner and Will Skradski won the Traditional Navigation event](https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-public-affairs-and-community-service/aviation/news/2026/05/flightteamnationals2026.php) by executing a 125-mile navigation course through an Illinois cornfield without relying on GPS technology. The duo achieved what no UNO team had accomplished before by claiming a national championship in a flight event. [Thomas Reid also captured first place in the IFR (Instrument Simulated Flight) event](https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-public-affairs-and-community-service/aviation/news/2026/05/flightteamnationals2026.php), extending the team's success.

[The Flying Mavs finished 8th overall out of 32 collegiate teams and set a new team record for points scored](https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-public-affairs-and-community-service/aviation/news/2026/05/flightteamnationals2026.php) in a competition often described as the "March Madness" of collegiate aviation. The team also earned multiple other top-10 finishes, demonstrating the depth of their preparation and skill.

Fourteen students comprise the Flying Mavs roster, balancing rigorous flight training, complex aviation coursework, three weekly practices, and part-time employment. Head coach Lowell "Skip" Bailey acknowledged the team's commitment despite financial constraints, noting that without athletic scholarships or name, image and likeness opportunities, team success relies entirely on student dedication.

[The UNO Aviation Institute, established in 1990](https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-public-affairs-and-community-service/aviation/index.php), has transformed from a minor university appendage into a nationally recognized program. [Head Coach Skip Bailey earned the 2025 National Coach of the Year award](https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-public-affairs-and-community-service/aviation/news/2026/05/flightteamnationals2026.php) for his role in developing collegiate aviators who now work as commercial pilots, instructors and military officers nationwide.

[The Flying Mavs are preparing for the 2027 NIFA SAFECON National Competition scheduled for May 10–14 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin](https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-public-affairs-and-community-service/aviation/news/2026/05/flightteamnationals2026.php). Team captain Tyler Thieman, a senior from Malcolm, emphasized the lasting value of the program, noting that his closest friendships in Omaha stem from the Flight Team.

## Sources

- [Flatwater Free Press](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/when-mavs-fly-the-best-omaha-team-youve-never-heard-of-soars-to-new-heights/)
- [UNO Aviation Institute - UNO Flying Mavs Earn Top-10 Finish at NIFA SAFECON Nationals](https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-public-affairs-and-community-service/aviation/news/2026/05/flightteamnationals2026.php)
- [UNO Aviation Institute - About Us](https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-public-affairs-and-community-service/aviation/index.php)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Flatwater Free Press, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://flatwaterfreepress.org/when-mavs-fly-the-best-omaha-team-youve-never-heard-of-soars-to-new-heights/.