Detail Dawg team members with SIU School of Aviation fared well at the 2026 Aerospace Maintenance Council competition in Orlando, Florida. (Photo provided)
May 19, 2026
SIU aviation technologies students excel in aircraft maintenance competition
CARBONDALE, Ill. — A team from Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s aviation technologies program placed 10th in the nation in the scholastic category of the 2026 Aerospace Maintenance Council competition in Orlando, Florida.
Combined, the two teams of Detail Dawgs, a registered student organization, who competed last month, placed in the top 10 in 11 different events in the 49-team scholastic division. In all, 90 teams from eight countries competed in 27 different events. Each Detail Dawgs team was comprised of five students with one alternate.
The competition provides an opportunity for “current and future aviation maintenance professionals to showcase their abilities and see how they stack up against their peers around the world,” said James Barker, an assistant professor in aviation technologies and faculty adviser. He noted the Detail Dawgs placed consistently in the top one-third of the 90 teams and fourth overall in one event — fastener flushness inspection — beating out military and professional airlines maintenance technicians.
Barker added the self-motivating group made their own training boards to simulate events using “whatever material was laying around,” including scrap airplane parts, wood and even duct tape.
“These students practiced tirelessly to make sure they were competitive. They researched events, planned their lodging, and attended meetings to secure funding,” he said, adding several students were pulled aside after the event and offered jobs by airline officials.
The competition consists of 27 competitive maintenance challenges in areas such as avionic/electrical troubleshooting, standard/aero engine fan blade removal, thrust reverser control fault troubleshooting and repair, fuel nozzle replacement and cargo floor lock. Contestants have a set amount of time to complete each task, but students are also judged on professionalism, their ability to use tools and safety equipment properly, and their knowledge level.
Team members include Ian Campbell, Detail Dawgs president and Liam Dunn, the group’s social media coordinator, who both graduated at SIU Carbondale commencement exercises on May 9. Other team members are Emma Bailey, Tyler Dufresne, Kennan Kahrimanovic, Jon Lehmann, Erik Longo, Andres Pulido, Aurora Salerno, Berlin Schachtner, Logan Schwarz, and Addison Thomas.
The team placed in the top 10 in the following events:
- Third place — Fastener flushness inspection.
- Third place — Electrical wiring harness testing.
- Fifth place — Inflight entertainment troubleshooting.
- Sixth place — E-drill fastener removal.
- Seventh place — Fuel nozzle remove and replace.
- Seventh place — Safety wire.
- Eighth place — Fast wiring diagnostics.
- Eighth place — Cabin seat repair.
- 10th place — PPG transparencies.
- 10th place — Antenna test.
- 10th place — Fuel tank entry precautions.
SIU’s School of Aviation offers comprehensive undergraduate and graduate degree programs — aviation flight, aviation management and aviation technologies.