The College of Aeronautics and Engineering gathered at the 5X Airport on Friday to celebrate victories by Flying Flashes team 52 Peyton Turner and Alyssa Sheehan, who won first-place Intercollegiate Class in the 2024 and a second Kent State team that finished in the top 10.
Turner, of Chicora, Pennsylvania, and Sheehan of Lockport, Illinois, also won the first place overall Fastest WAI (Women in Aviation International) Team in the 47th annual , which took place June 18-21.
This is the third year in a row that Kent State teams have won the Air Race Classic.
For the first time, Kent State had two Flying Flashes teams in the Air Race. Team 53, Madeline Goussios, of Howland, Ohio, a 2023 graduate of the College of Aeronautics and Engineering, and Kelsey Buyansky of Independence, Ohio, a junior in the college, won eighth-place Intercollegiate Class. Traditionally, Kent State’s team is comprised of a returning member and a new member to ensure experienced participation. With the addition of a second team, three newcomers competed this year.
“This was my seventh time being involved with the race and every year I say this was the toughest race ever,” said Brian Neff, assistant dean, flight and operations, who with Carissa Neff, are advisors for the teams. “By far, hands down this race was extremely challenging.”
Having two teams representing Kent State was made possible by Vic Petrovic, '71, MBA '74, Ph.D. '06, and Cheryl Petrovic, '74. The side of each airplane says, “Thank You to the Petrovic Family for All Your Support.”
President Todd Diacon, the Petrovics and the family and friends of the racers attended the celebration on Friday.
Vic Petrovic said, "We would love for them to make it number four in the future but our real concern is that they are learning something and they are safe."
The weather created such a challenge that the racers were unsure they would be able to complete the course, which spanned four days and included 10 legs of flying, covering more than 2,500 miles from Carbondale, Illinois, to Loveland, Colorado. Here is Turner talking to Kent State Today about the race:
Vic Petrovic, who has served in both the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Army, is passionate about aviation, has experience as a private pilot, and holds a commercial pilot's license.
After the celebration Turner gave the Petrovics a ride in the airplane that she and Sheehan flew in the Air Race.
Goussios and Buyansky were nervous as they both competed in the Air Race for the first time, but the first leg built their confidence. Buyansky said she hopes she can compete again next year.
“It was an adrenaline rush watching everyone fire up and taxi out,” Buyansky said. “It was an amazing experience. We utilized teamwork. After we finished the fly by, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh we can do this.’”