LAKELAND, FL., April 10, 2018 - Piper Aircraft and ATP Flight School announced today, during the annual Sun-n-Fun Fly-In, the signing of a second 100 aircraft fleet order. ATP, which holds the distinction of being the largest private flight school in the United States and leading supplier of pilots to the nation's regional airlines, is now the larges Piper fleet operator in the world.
ATP's original Archer order was placed in April of 2013, which included the initial purchase of 15 Archer TX, single-engine, piston powered aircraft with the option for 85 additional Archers. Over the past 5 years, ATP has consistently exercised its options and has taken delivery of Piper Archers each year and will reach 100 aircraft delivered by October 2018.
This second 100 Archer TX order will bring ATP's fleet to over 400 aircraft - continuing to increase the school's training capacity in an effort to solve the U.S. pilot shortage. With demand for commercial pilots at an industry high, the new order demonstrates ATP's trust in the Archer as a proven, reliable, and economical trainer, capable of delivering the volume of training required to dependably supply pilots to the nation's airlines.
"We are delighted with ATP's continued confidence in Piper Aircraft and our trainer products. Its consistent pace of aircraft orders and deliveries is a testament to the quality training equipment that we manufacture," said Piper President and CEO Simon Caldecott.
"As the leading provider of commercial pilots, this second 100-plane order will be invaluable in backing our commitment of providing airlines with a reliable pipeline of professionally trained pilots," said ATP president Justin Dennis. "The Archer has shown itself to be a safe and trustworthy platform for our students, while its operational and technological flexibility makes it up to the task of addressing the airline pilot shortage. We look forward to continuing to conquer this industry challenge with Piper and provide our students with access to the safe, efficient training they have come to expect."
About the Piper Archer TX
As a classroom, the Piper Archer TX provides students everything needed to learn to fly safely. Standard instrumentation includes the Garmin G1000 NXi glass cockpit system, 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. It is powered by the 180 hp Lycoming 0-360-A4M and offers 128 ktas / 237 km/h cruise speed.
About ATP Flight School - Training Pilots Since 1984
ATP's Airline Career Pilot Program prepares pilots for airline careers from zero time to 1,500 hours, with CFI jobs and airline employment. Addressing the pilot shortage, airlines attract new pilots to the industry with ATP's Tuition Reimbursement Program, where airlines sponsor a portion of pilots' flight training loan repayment. ATP also provides type-rating and ATP CTP certification. ATP's 318 aircraft fly over 236,000 hours annually to provide over 6,300 FAA pilot certificates each year. As America's largest flight school, ATP is the leading supplier of professionally trained pilots to the nation's regional airlines.
About Piper Aircraft
Piper Aircraft Inc., headquartered in Vero Beach, Fla., offers aviators throughout the world efficient and reliable single- and twin-engine aircraft. The single-engine M-Class series - the M600, M500, and the M350 offers businesses and individuals elegant performance and value. The Twin Class Seneca and Seminole balance proven performance, efficiency, and simplicity in twin-engine aircraft. The Trainer Class Warrior, Archer TX, Archer DX, Arrow, Seminole, and Seneca aircraft form the most complete technically-advanced line of pilot training aircraft in the world. Unparalleled service and support is offered through a network of 38 dealers and nearly 100 service centers worldwide. Piper is a member of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.
