Cirrus Aircraft delivered the first of 25 SR Series TRAC20 aircraft to United Aviate Academy on Thursday. The aircraft will be used for training at United Aviate Academy, the only ab-initio flight academy operated by one of the largest U.S.-based airlines.
“The TRAC20 is one of the most technologically advanced aircraft on the market and we are super excited to bring it to our academy and train our students to prepare them for United Airlines,” said Dana Donati, chief executive officer of United Aviate Academy.
An integrated avionics suite essential for situational awareness and hazard avoidance, including synthetic vision, ChartView, and active traffic make the TRAC20 a solid tool for training the next generation of airline pilots at United Aviate Academy. The students at the academy will prepare for careers in regional and mainline airlines after graduation.
The TRAC20 aircraft are also equipped with a hot weather package, designed to keep pilots cool in the cockpit during training.
United Aviate Academy collaborated with the Cirrus Aircraft Xi Design team to create a custom aesthetic design to match the vision of the academy. All 25 aircraft have an exterior and interior scheme featuring the blue and white United Aviate Academy logo on the tail, fuselage, and crew seats, as well as wear-resistant materials inside.
“Cirrus Aircraft is proud to work with United Aviate Academy to provide the next generation of United Airlines pilots with a fleet of advanced training aircraft built with the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System,” Zean Nielsen, CEO of Cirrus Aircraft said in a statement. “Together, we are introducing more people to aviation and providing new opportunities for underrepresented populations by removing barriers and supporting new programs like United Aviate Academy.”
The new Cirrus TRAC20 aircraft will be used at United Aviate’s campus housed at the Phoenix Goodyear Airport (KGYR) in Phoenix, Arizona. Over the next 10 years, United plans to hire over 10,000 pilots and train an additional 5,000 to combat the pilot shortage.
