MSU Denver Aerobatics Team wins fifth national title in 8-year period

DENVER (KDVR) — Metropolitan State University Denver sits in the heart of downtown Denver. Thousands of cars circle the campus every day but if passers-by look to the skies, they may have the chance to see a national champion aerobatics team flying overhead.

The MSU Denver Aerobatics Team won its fifth national title in the last eight years, according to a press release from the university.

The Aviation Team was founded only nine years ago and the team members have taken to the skies like fish to water. The team represents MSU's nationally recognized Aviation Program.

The team takes part in multiple challenges against other schools throughout the year. They face off in competitions where points are compiled by performing spins, loops, barrel rolls and other maneuvers in an "aerobatic box" which is a 1,000-meter cubed area located 4,000 feet above the ground. Pilots can only determine the box's location by looking at ground indicators.

Judges rate the pilots on their ability to perform the maneuvers while attempting to remain in the confines of the invisible box.

In the 2024 competition, MSU faced off against multiple schools and finished atop the podium, followed by runner-up, University of North Dakota and third-place, Air Force Academy.

The team was spearheaded by three students who took home the first through third-place awards for individual performances.

The winning student pilots included:

• Tien Luu — First place
• Braeden Giltinan — Second place
• Alex Trautmann — Tied for third with North Dakota's Forrest Scholin

“We are taught to ‘always stay ahead of the aircraft’ when executing aerobatic maneuvers — to think several steps ahead and plan meticulously before making any moves,” said Luu. “Everything we do as aerobatic pilots is a complex dance between preparation, execution and awareness. But when everything clicks, it really is one of the most satisfying experiences ever.”

MSU also won the national title in the years:

• 2017
• 2019
• 2021
• 2022

The students practice every day, practice that even includes intentionally stalling the plane in order to perfect how to recover in the event of an actual stall.

“Well, how do musicians get to Carnegie Hall?” said Dagmar Kress, team coach and lecturer in the MSU Aviation and Aerospace Science Department. “It’s practice, practice, practice. Our secret is having dedicated students who really put in the hours and committed coaches who train them well.”