Universal Flight Concepts, based in Waco, Texas, has delivered its current Part 141-approved training programs using 10 Tecnam aircraft. On January 28, Universal announced that it has agreed to purchase an additional 18 Tecnam aircraft over the course of 2020, bringing its fleet to 28 total airplanes. The flight training organization has served Baylor University’s aviation sciences program since fall 2019.
The success of the program from the outset has led Universal to invest in the dramatic increase in its fleet. Students begin training in the two-place P2008, moving to the P2010 to pursue instrument training, and then onto to the multiengine P2006T for advanced training. The breakdown of the models on the purchase agreement mirror that progression: 13 P2008s, 13 P2010s, and 2 P2006Ts. The school also utilizes Tecnam-specific flight training devices in its courses as well.
Gordon Jiroux, president and CEO of Universal, noted, “We share in Baylor’s belief that all student training must be innovative and comprehensive, with complete dedication to safety. The selection of a modern, efficient, all-Tecnam fleet maintains a continuity for the students which also benefits our drive for quality, safety, efficient learning, maintenance and dispatch.” Universal’s facilities at the Waco Regional Airport include 9,000 square feet of training areas, and 32,000 square feet of hangar space.
