Piper Aircraft will deliver two new Piper Arrow training aircraft later this year to the Aeronautics Division at Kent State University‘s College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and Technology.
“Kent State’s Aeronautic Division is looking forward to taking delivery of these two new Piper single-engine trainers later this year,” said Robert G. Sines, Jr., Dean of Kent State’s College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and Technology. “They will become our newest training aircraft and operate from Kent State’s Andrew Paton Field, one of the few university operated airports in the world.”
The Kent State Aeronautics Program is the largest flight training school in Ohio and flies from Kent State University Airport in Stow, Ohio. The program has more than 500 students seeking degrees in Flight Technology, Aviation Management, Aeronautical Systems Engineering Technology, Aeronautical Studies and Air Traffic Control.
“The two Arrow trainers will join Kent State’s learning fleet of more than 20 single-engine and two twin-engine aircraft,” said Piper President and CEO Simon Caldecott. “They are the only complex single-engine trainers available today, and we are grateful to Dean Sines and Kent State for recognizing their proven track record of assisting student pilots to become full-fledged aviators.”
Greg W says
It is good that Piper still produces the PA28R Arrow for the training market. I do think it shows a disconnect in the industry however, when they announced at Osh. that Piper is committed to the training market by still producing the PA28-181 Archer. The “modern” Piper trainers were the Cherokee 140 ( a two seater with optional jump seats in the baggage area), PA38 Tomahawk two seater and the four seat PA28-161 Warrior (not a dedicated trainer but it became one by default when production stopped on the two seat aircraft. The Archer was the top of the fixed gear line, only the low production PA28-235/Dakota surpassing it. When the schools and manufacturers can’t tell what is “needed” in a trainer from what is “wanted” then we will not have lower cost trainers. The prospective student as well will believe that all the “stuff” is required to fly, adding to the cost. Piper is to be commended however with the continued production of the relatively low cost,(still way to expensive), complex trainers, the Arrow and twin engine Seminole.