United Aviate Academy has become the latest member of the Piper Flight School Alliance and will acquire up to three Seminoles for use in multi-engine instruction. The aircraft are scheduled to arrive in late 2025 and will be deployed in support of the academy’s FAA-approved training curriculum.

The Goodyear, Arizona-based flight school, wholly owned by United Airlines, has trained over 300 pilots since opening in 2022 and maintains a near-90% pass rate for FAA checkrides. In the past 12 months alone, it has delivered 32,000 flight lessons over more than 57,000 hours.

By joining the Alliance, UAA gains access to co-branded promotional support, training integration and maintenance service prioritisation.

“Welcoming United Aviate Academy to the Piper Flight School Alliance with its first Seminole purchase is a proud moment for Piper Aircraft,” says Ron Gunnarson, vice president of sales, marketing, customer support and quality at Piper Aircraft. “UAA represents an exemplary standard of flight training, and Piper looks forward to supporting its operation with the rugged, reliable Seminole.”

“We are very excited about adding the Piper Seminole to our aircraft fleet,” adds Michael Hales, CEO of United Aviate Academy. “The Seminole is not only a robust airplane with all the bells and whistles, but is specifically designed for the next generation of pilots learning the intricacies of multi-engine flying.”

The Seminole remains a widely adopted platform for advanced flight instruction due to its predictable handling, traditional six-lever quadrant and consistent dispatch performance.