Oshkosh, WI – July 22, 2025 – Paragon Flight Training, an award-winning flight training academy based at Page Field in Fort Myers, Florida, with additional locations in Punta Gorda, Florida, and LaGrange, Georgia, announces the completion of its strategic transition to a fleet comprised exclusively of Piper aircraft. This is a major component of an ambitious investment plan the company unveiled in 2022 that emphasized fleet modernization among other key industry-leading goals. The company now owns 32 Piper trainers, (31 of those being Pilot 100i aircraft) with six additional Pilot 100i units planned for delivery before the end of 2025.
“Our collaborative relationship with Piper goes back to 2021 and is based on our experience that the Piper Pilot 100i aircraft is an exceptional training platform and the gold standard in the industry,” said Chris Schoensee, Paragon Flight Training President. “This is a major milestone in Paragon Flight’s 19-year history and reinforces our commitment to providing a consistent, premier flight training experience for students, regardless of location. With top notch aviation industry collaborators like Piper, and a company-wide culture of professionalism, safety and responsibility that celebrates the flight training experience, we are enthusiastic about our leadership position in flight training.”
As of today, Paragon Flight owns roughly 15% of all Piper Pilot 100i aircraft in existence. In December 2024, Paragon Flight took possession of the 200th serial number Pilot 100i, after receiving the 100th serial number aircraft in January 2023. The Piper Pilot 100i was first introduced in 2020. One of Paragon’s recently-delivered Pilot 100is can be seen on display at the Piper booth throughout the week at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Ron Gunnarson, Vice President of Sales, Marketing, Customer Support, and Quality at Piper Aircraft commented on the strong relationship between the two companies.
“We are proud to continue working with Piper Flight School Alliance member, Paragon Flight Training, one of the largest and earliest supporters of the Pilot 100i platform, and are excited to support Paragon’s growth with increased Pilot 100i aircraft deliveries this year,” Gunnarson said. “We look forward to their all-Piper fleet driving continued advancement across each of their three flight training locations in Florida and Georgia.”
About Piper Aircraft
Piper Aircraft, Inc., headquartered in Vero Beach, Fl., offers aviators throughout the world efficient and reliable single and twin-engine aircraft and is the first general aviation aircraft manufacturer in the world to certify Garmin® Emergency Autoland. The single-engine M-Class series – the M700 FURY, M500®, and M350® — offers businesses and individuals elegant performance, value and a superior ownership experience. The Personal Class Archer® LX and Archer DLX balance proven performance, efficiency, and simplicity in a piston-powered light aircraft. The Trainer Class Pilot 100i, Archer TX, Archer DX, and Seminole aircraft form the most complete, technically advanced line of pilot training aircraft in the world. Piper is a member of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. To learn more about Piper Aircraft, visit the company’s website at www.piper.com.
About Paragon Flight Training
Paragon Flight is an award-winning flight school headquartered at Page Field in Fort Myers, Florida. Holding FAA and SEVIS accreditations, the company trains commercial, professional, and recreational pilots as well as offering military pilot training for domestic and foreign governments. With multiple locations in Florida and Georgia, Paragon Flight now has more than 34,000 square feet of training facilities in the Southeastern United States. Learn more at ParagonFlight.com.
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Media Contacts:
Piper Aircraft, Inc.
Alba Walcott
Phone: +1 (772) 299-2835
Mail to: alba.walcott@piper.com
EAFocus Communications
Barbara Fornasiero
Phone: +1 (248) 260-8466
Mail to: barbara@eafocus.com