Market Intelligence: North America

US Based Paragon Flight Training Announces Record Enrolment and Training Infrastructure Expansion in 2024

Paragon Flight Training, an award-winning flight training academy based at Page Field in Fort Myers, Florida, United States continues its stunning growth trajectory in announcing that student enrollment is at an all-time high. The milestone, along with other company news, was announced by Paragon Flight Training President Chris Schoensee.

“Our enrollment for Q1 2024 was record-setting, and we now have a backlog of students waiting to begin their flight training program in September, with other student start dates extended to spring 2025,” Schoensee said. “Clearly, the demand for pursuing a career as a commercial pilot remains exceptionally strong. And it’s not just at Paragon Flight; I’m hearing of positive growth trends in other peer flight academies as well.”

Corresponding with its high enrollment, Paragon Flight is on target to increase its aircraft training flight hours, a standard industry gauge, to 40,000 in 2024 – more than 60% higher than the 26,000 training hours tallied in 2023, which was also a record-setting number. The company now has 50 full-time flight instructors to meet student needs and is upping its maintenance team of aircraft technicians to eight in order to maintain its elite fleet.

Per a previously announced long-term strategy to add 50 Piper aircraft by the end of 2027, Paragon Flight will add nine new Piper P100i’s this year, with the first arriving this month. With over 20 Piper P100i aircraft currently in its fleet, Paragon Flight owns approximately 15% of the Piper P100i aircraft in existence, including the milestone 100th Piper P100i.

As a part of its push to increase efficiency and encourage sustainability in flight training, Paragon Flight also announced additions to its simulator training inventory, with agreements signed to receive – within 12-15 months – two more ALSIM simulators to complement its Piper P100i aircraft, and the Redbird Xwind simulator.

“Advanced simulator training is an absolute must for leading pilot training programs,” Schoensee said. “The ALSIM simulator matches the cockpit of the Piper P100i button-for-button, and the Redbird Xwind simulator is essential for maximizing student training in crosswinds conditions, which are the most difficult conditions for student pilots to master in the first stages of their pilot training experience.”

In addition to serving as president and owner of Paragon Flight Training, Schoensee is also president and chairman of the board of the National Flight Training Alliance.

 About Paragon Flight Training

Paragon Flight is an award-winning flight academy headquartered at Page Field in Fort Myers, Florida. Holding FAA and SEVIS accreditations, the company trains commercial, professional, and recreational pilots as well as offering military pilot training for domestic and foreign governments. With multiple locations, Paragon Flight has more than 34,000 square feet of training facilities in the South Eastern United States.

Source: Paragon Flight Training
Photo Credit: Paragon Flight Training (shown as meta image)

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Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology Announces Fleet Expansion with the Addition of 4 New Piper Aircraft in May 2024

United States based Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology proudly announces the expansion of its training fleet with the acquisition of four pristine Piper Aircraft to be used at their Tulsa Flight Facility. This brings Spartan’s total Piper Archer training aircraft to 40 since December 2020. This strategic move is aimed at accommodating the increasing training demand for qualified pilots in the aviation sector.

Celebrating over 95 years of instruction in aviation education, Spartan College has been at the forefront of technical training for pilots and aviation maintenance professionals. With campuses in Tulsa, OK; Los Angeles Area; Inland Empire, CA Area; and Denver, CO Area, Spartan has welcomed students from all 50 states and over 40 countries, evidencing its global reach.

“Since Spartan’s establishment in 1928, we’ve seen over 100,000 students train for careers as pilots and mechanics. By continuing to expand our fleet of new aircraft, we are increasing our commitment not only to our present and future students but also to the aviation industry at large,” says Rob Polston, CEO of Spartan College.

The Vero Beach-based aircraft manufacturer, Piper Aircraft, renowned for its production of the iconic Archer Aircraft since 1975, is responsible for the new additions to Spartan’s fleet. The Piper Archer is celebrated for its reliability and advanced technology, making it a staple in the training of novice aviators and flight schools globally.

“It is an honor to continue our partnership with Spartan College and provide them with 4 more Archers to support their premier flight program,” said John Calcagno, Piper Aircraft, Inc. President & CEO. “Piper Aircraft trainers are known for their reliability and ease of use, and that is why they are a top choice for flight training in the industry.”

This expansion of Spartan College’s fleet is a key component of the institution’s ongoing capital investment strategy, aimed at training and then supplying the aerospace and aviation sectors with a steady stream of adept, certified professionals ready to enter the workforce.

In response to the looming pilot shortage detailed in the most recent Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook, Spartan College offers courses designed to quickly prepare students for FAA pilot certification exams. The comprehensive program equips students with the skills and experience required for multiple FAA part 141 pilot certifications in as few as 17 months.

“We are thrilled to introduce four new Piper Archers to the growing Spartan fleet.  The aircraft are equipped with the most current technology to enhance our students’ training experience,” explained Beau Schrader, vice president of flight operations at Spartan College. “The Piper Archers are outfitted with today’s avionics, including the Garmin G1000 NXi integrated flight deck.  Pilots will benefit from enhanced situational awareness, intuitive controls, and seamless navigation capabilities.”

About Spartan College

Established in 1928, Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology has trained over 100,000 pilots and technicians. The Tulsa, OK campus is licensed by the O.B.P.V.S. Campuses are located in the following areas: Tulsa, OK; Los Angeles, CA; Inland Empire, CA; and Denver, CO. Spartan students have come from across the United States and over 40 countries. To learn more and for consumer information, location of training, school licensing and accreditation visit www.Spartan.edu. Programs, credential levels, technology, and scheduling options vary by campus and are subject to change. Third-party certifications and employment opportunities are not guaranteed. Financial aid is available for those who qualify. Administrative office: Spartan Education Group, LLC, 1 N. Franklin St., Suite 2125, Chicago, IL 60606

About Piper Aircraft

Piper Aircraft Inc., headquartered in Vero Beach, Fl., offers aviators throughout the world efficient and reliable single and twin-engine aircraft and is the first general aviation aircraft manufacturer in the world to certify Garmin Autoland. The single-engine M-Class series, the M700 FURY, M500, and M350, offers businesses and individuals elegant performance, value and a superior ownership experience. The Personal Class, Archer LX and Archer DLX balance proven performance, efficiency, and simplicity in a piston-powered aircraft. The Trainer Class Pilot 100i, Archer TX, Archer DX, and Seminole aircraft form the most complete technically advanced line of pilot training aircraft in the world. Piper is a member of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.

About the Piper Archer TX 

As a classroom, the Piper Archer TX provides students everything needed to learn to fly safely. Standard instrumentation includes a Garmin G1000 NXi glass cockpit and G5 standby display, a perfect mixture of low workload and high technology. Piper’s specially created flight school interior, designed to withstand the rigors of flight training, is standard, and the option for factory-installed air conditioning adds to the Archer’s appeal as a training aircraft. Building on over sixty years of PA-28 manufacturing expertise, the Piper Archer TX stands in a class all its own when it comes to reliability, stability, and ease of operation for students and instructors alike.

Source: Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology
Photo Credit: Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology

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Flight Training Management Software Provider FlightLogger Selected by OSM Aviation Academy USA

Global pilot and flight training group OSM Aviation Academy Florida’s, United States base OSM Aviation Academy USA has selected FlightLogger. FlightLogger, a leader in flight training management software, announced in May 2024 a major milestone in its journey of empowering the aviation and pilot training community. Over the past thirteen years, FlightLogger has become the trusted choice for flight training organizations worldwide, welcoming over a hundred thousand users to its platform.

OSM Aviation Academy provides airline-ready flight training in USA, Norway, and Sweden.

Source: FlightLogger
Photo Credit: FlightLogger

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Florida-based Flight School, Dynasty Aviation, Selects Flight Simulator from ELITE Simulation

Flight simulator manufacturer ELITE Simulation Solutions is proud to have been chosen by Florida-based flight school Dynasty Aviation, providing them with its game-changing PI-1000 Professional Advanced Aviation Training Device (AATD). The powerful simulator will allow the school to reduce training costs and maximise training efficiency.

As one of the leading suppliers of Flight Training Devices (FTDs), ELITE Simulation Solutions products are utilised across the globe, and Dynasty Aviation in America has become the latest training school to use the innovative simulators. Based in Miami, the school was built from the ground-up by experienced flight instructors, allowing it to provide exceptional training and support for students.

Continuously looking to develop the training it provides, Dynasty Aviation recently purchased ELITE’s PI-1000 Professional AATD. This revolutionary simulator builds on the success of the proven PI-135 BATD, providing incredibly realistic training for pilots. Approved by the FAA, as AATD the simulator incorporates LCD screens and bezels to offer real-world experiences such as WAAS approaches and simulating appropriate autopilot functions.

The Dynasty Aviation simulator features an open cockpit and pilot seat alongside heavy duty rudder pedals, replica Garmin G1000 instrumentation, SEP and MEP controls and panels, and ELITE Pro Panel III flight console with dynamic control loading. This allows it to simulate several aircraft, including the C172S, C172R, C182T, T182T, C206, T206, and Baron B58.

To ensure students could start benefiting from the simulator immediately, the ELITE team visited Dynasty Aviation to install the system directly. ELITE also provided remote troubleshooting to solve any issues.

Rene Huddlestone, Director of Marketing & Sales at ELITE said “ELITE is continuously building on our success in the North American market, with hundreds of FAA-approved BATD and AATD flight training devices currently in operation all over the USA. We are very pleased to add Dynasty Aviation to this list of ELITE FAA-approved AATD operators and look forward to working with them more in the future.”

Dao Chen, Chief Instructor at Dynasty Aviation, added, “From the moment we first spoke with the Elite team, it has been fantastic working with them. The technical support has been amazing, particularly the troubleshooting being conducted remotely, which allowed for any issues to be solved quickly. The simulator is going to help transform how we train students at Dynasty Aviation, allowing us to increase training efficiency and reduce the cost of training. Having single and multi-engine configurations combined into one unit is a gamechanger for the flight school environment.”

Source: ELITE
Photo Credit: ELITE

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