Collegiate aerobatic competitions didn’t exist in the International Aerobatic Club (IAC) before 2001.  It was then that our team’s founder, E. Tyson Englehardt, with the help of his father, E. Allan Englehardt, petitioned the IAC to form a collegiate division.  After the dust had settled, the collegiate program was ready to officially determine who would be the top collegiate aerobatic pilot in the nation.

Other universities that would join SIU in the skies included Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ.-Daytona Beach, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ.-Prescott, The Univ. of North Dakota, and the U.S. Air Force Academy.  There was no doubt that the competition was going to be tough.  Since 2001, however, the SIU team has earned six national team championships, as well as hosted five individual national champion pilots. (Sportsman or above)

Former team members include:

Team Coach, 2001-2009:  Dr. Charley Rodriguez

2001: E. Tyson Englehardt, Captain — 1st place, Sportsman

Matt Boehm

Sean Roarty

2002: Matt Boehm, Captain — 1st place, Sportsman

Sean Roarty

Caleb Robinson

2003: Caleb Robinson, Captain

Nick Reinhardt

Tom Rybarczyk

2004: Caleb Robinson, Captain — 4th place, Sportsman

Tom Rybarczyk — 2nd place, Sportsman

Joe Schuster — 1st place, Primary

Nick Reinhardt

Jason Dusel

2005: Jason Dusel, Captain — 2nd place, Sportsman

Tom Rybarczyk — 1st place, Sportsman

Joe Schuster

John Abbott

2006: Gerald ‘Dave’ Oliver, Captain — 1st place, Sportsman

Andrew Bochnovic — 2nd place, Sportsman

Josh Smrt — 1st place, primary

Jeremy Brown

2007: Andrew Bochnovic, Captain — 1st place, Sportsman

Josh Smrt

Jeremy Brown — 1st place, Primary

Eric Platt — 2nd place, Primary

Christina Mayberry

Akira Tomii

2008: Team inactive