Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology Expands Fleet with Purchase of 32 New Piper Trainers

Piper Aircraft and Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology announced the expansion of its aircraft fleet with the purchase of 32 new Piper trainers to meet the future demand for certified pilots in the United States. State and local officials joined Spartan College and Piper Aircraft leaders for the historic delivery of the 5000th Piper Archer at Spartan College’s flight facility at Jones Riverside Airport in Tulsa, Ok.

Founded 92 years ago, Spartan College is one the Nation’s first technical training schools for pilots and aviation maintenance. Along with three facilities in Tulsa, Spartan College is also located in the following areas: Los Angeles; Inland Empire, CA; and Denver. Spartan students have come from across the United States and more than 62 countries.

“Since 1928, Spartan has trained and changed the lives of more than 100,000 pilots and mechanics serving in civil and military careers. With the purchase of these aircraft, we are re-committing ourselves to Tulsa and Oklahoma,” said Spartan College CEO Rob Polston. “We could have chosen many places to invest and operate, but we happen to believe in our strategic plan to make Tulsa the most sought-after destination for flight and mechanic training as well as the single-largest and most-recognized flight school in the United States.”

“Piper has achieved a significant aviation milestone today with the delivery of the 5,000th Piper Archer to Spartan College,” said Simon Caldecott, president and chief executive officer for Piper. “As Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology continues to expand their aviation programs, Piper Aircraft is proud to be part of their comprehensive aviation program. As a longstanding pilot training provider, they continue to demonstrate their commitment to excellence and their students by providing multiple aviation programs and opportunities for their students. We look forward to their continued success and to providing more Piper trainers in support of their commitment to aviation education.”

Kim Stevens

Kim Stevens is the publisher of State Aviation Journal, which he founded in 2009. A longtime commercial-rated pilot, he was introduced to state aviation in 1992 as Director of the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics, later serving as Deputy Division Director for the Arizona Department of Transportation's Aeronautics Division. From 2013 to 2018, he was Director of Communications and Operations for the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) in Washington, D.C. Relocating to North Carolina, Kim worked for the Raleigh-Durham International Airport for two years and now concentrates solely on the Journal. Prior to his aviation career, Kim spent a decade in the newspaper and magazine business.