Flight schools around the world are signing deals.
Molly McMillin
THE MARKET FOR TRAINING AIRCRAFT FROM FLIGHT SCHOOLS IS booming, as evidenced at EAA AirVenture in July, where manufacturers announced hundreds of orders for new trainers.
A global pilot shortage and the promise of high-paying jobs means high demand for flight training programs.
The latest pilot compensation survey by the National Business Aviation Association shows salaries up 12% from 2022 to 2023 for senior captain, captain and first officer positions in the business aviation industry. Survey results were released on Sept. 5. At the same time, business aviation positions grew by 7.22%.
“We’re still in this pilot shortage and the training institutions are trying to grow as fast as they can,” says Chris Crow, Textron Aviation vice president of piston sales. “The market is good.”
Textron Aviation is delivering a “good portion” of its single-engine aircraft to small and large flight schools and universities, with the majority of the deliveries going to the large flight schools.
“Most are buying multiple aircraft for their business,” Crow says.
There is a shortage of single-engine aircraft available, says Mike Tonklin, Elixer Aircraft business development director for North America, with more aircraft going to the scrapyard per day than new aircraft coming into service.
Luke Ormsby, program director with Sierra Charlie Aviation, with the flight school’s Piper Seminole. Ormsby was at AirVenture as Piper announced the school’s large order with Piper for training aircraft. Credit: Molly McMillian/BCA photos
Tecnam launched the new P-Mentor trainer during EAA AirVenture in July and announced orders for more than 60 at the show.
Elixer Aircraft, based in La Rochelle, France, announced an order at AirVenture for 100 new Elixer trainers from Sierra Charlie Aviation, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, with deliveries set to begin in early 2025. The aircraft has received European Union Aviation Safety Agency CS-23 certification, with FAA Part E23 certification expected soon.
Tecnam Aircraft launched the P-Mentor two-seat trainer at AirVenture and announced orders for 30 aircraft from Kilo Charlie Aviation near Kansas City, an order for 15 from Epic Sky Aviation in Des Moines, Iowa; and an order for three from the Vermont Flight Academy in Burlington, Vermont. It also announced an initial order for 15 from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, with an option for Tecnam 2006T twin-engine aircraft.
Textron Aviation vice president of piston sales, with a Cessna 172 Skyhawk upgraded with a number of interior enhancements.
FAA certification of the P-Mentor is expected soon, the company says.
Piper Aircraft, based in Vero Beach, Florida, announced orders at AirVenture for nearly 100 Piper Archer DX and TX aircraft valued at $50 million from four flight schools, including three based in India.
“For Piper, India is one of the fastest-growing commercial aviation markets and is expected to remain so for the foreseeable future,” says Ron Gunnarson, Piper vice president of sales, marketing and customer support.
Most recently, Air India signed deals with Airbus and Boeing at the Paris Air Show in June for 470 commercial airliners valued at $70 billion based on list prices, with an option for 70 additional aircraft.
This expansion has fueled trainer aircraft purchases. Skynex Aero in New Delhi ordered 27 Archer DX diesel-powered aircraft for delivery in 2024 and 2025; Dunes Aviation Academy based in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, placed an order for 10 aircraft for delivery in 2024, while Vman Aero Services based in Mumbai, has 10 aircraft on order for delivery in 2024.
Sierra Charlie Aviation, meanwhile, has ordered 50 Archer TX trainers as it plans to expand from two locations to four within the year. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2026 and conclude in 2030.
In March, Piper signed a purchase agreement with Blue Line Aviation in North Carolina, for an initial firm commitment for 55 trainers and an option for 60 more, with deliveries to begin later in 2023.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is replenishing its training fleet with 172 Skyhawks on order. In July, it announced an order with Diamond Aircraft for 12 new DA42-VI multi-engine aircraft for flight training at its Daytona Beach, Florida, campus, for delivery in 2024.
Its fleet at the Florida campus includes 87 Cessna 172s and 11 Diamond DA42s, while its Prescott, Arizona, campus operates a fleet of 75 aircraft. Embry-Riddle also trains students on more than 260 flight simulators housed at both campuses.
In June, ATP Flight School placed an order for 40 Cessna 172 Skyhawks for delivery in 2025. The aircraft adds to its fleet of nearly 200 Skyhawks positioned across 82 training centers. It is the flight school’s second fleet purchase in a year for its Airline Career Pilot Program.
The school plans to train 20,000 airline pilots by 2030. As of June, ATP had 95 Skyhawks on order.
—Molly McMillin, a 25-year aviation journalist, is managing editor of business aviation for the Aviation Week Network and editor-in-chief of The Weekly of Business Aviation, an Aviation Week market intelligence report.
