VERO BEACH, Fla. — Piper Aircraft has delivered a new Piper Arrow pilot training aircraft to Liberty University School of Aeronautics.
The new single-engine trainer joins a growing fleet of teaching aircraft including other Piper Arrows, Piper Seminoles and Cessna 172s.
The recent delivery is part of a long-term agreement between Piper and the Lynchburg, Va.-based Liberty University School of Aeronautics. Under the agreement, Liberty University plans to replace and expand its fleet of Piper Arrows and twin-engine Seminoles.
“Liberty University School of Aeronautics is excited to accept delivery of a new Piper Arrow into our rapidly growing fleet,” said retired Brig. Gen. David Young, dean of the aeronautics school and president of the Lynchburg, Va. FBO Freedom Aviation. “Piper trainers have become a mainstay in Liberty’s aeronautics curriculum and have played a large role in the growing of Liberty University’s program from four students to more than 800 in the past 11 years. Liberty’s continued plans for growth will further necessitate additional fleet expansion and the school is looking forward to making many of those additions Piper products.”
Simon Caldecott of Piper Aircraft with David Young of Liberty University
The Piper Arrow is the preferred aircraft for Liberty University’s Air Race Classic team, the “Liberty Belles,” which utilizes Arrows for its annual cross-country race held in the summer. In the 2013 race, the all-female team was able to fly a total of 50 hours cross-country without a single mechanical issue. This reliability played a large part in propelling the team to ninth place in a competitive field of 42 teams (only 33 were able to finish) and in winning the “Piper Award.”
For more information: Piper.com, Liberty.edu
Good news, and yet a sad commentary on the state of G.A. manufacturing. That the sale/delivery of ONE aircraft is worthy of a nation wide press release, shows the poor state of GA in this country. The better news is that a 200% increase in flight students over 11 years, shows that where available there is still interest, despite the costs.
A new Piper Arrow – is that an oxymoron? I am sure it is a pristine example of a plane first introduced in 1967, nearly a half century ago! A pretty sad statement about GA in the US today, especially given the terrific NEW four-seat high performance aircraft from Europe or homebuilders.
Kent, the really bad part about the “legacy” designs, to me, is not so much that they are old designs. The big flaw to me is that the engineering was paid for decades ago and the price does not reflect that at all. The only new certification cost is the avionics installation, what is with the price increase of all US manufactured aircraft going up way past the price of inflation. Liability be D#%$#@ if sued, the plaintiff should get a defunct manufacturer,the next might not be in such a rush to file suit if they knew all they might get is more problems if the “win” the case.