Piper Reports 15 Percent Rise in Aircraft Deliveries

The M-Class line includes the turbocharged and pressurized piston M350, the M500 turboprop, and the M600/SLS turboprop, which features the HALO safety system and Garmin Autoland. Piper said it delivered a total of 69 M-Class aircraft, 43 in the U.S. and 26 internationally. They included 19 M350s, 9 M500s, and 41 M600/SLSs. 

The Vero Beach, Florida company said deliveries in its trainer lineup, which includes the single-engine Archer family, the Pilot 100i and the twin-engine Seminole, totaled 167 aircraft. Among the trainers, Piper made 150 domestic deliveries and 17 to international customers.

The company attributed the increased deliveries to flight schools including ATP Flight School, Spartan College, and American Flyers enlarging their fleets. New customers joining its Piper Flight School Alliance program, including Thrust Flight and Fly Gateway, also boosted deliveries.

“Growth in our two primary aircraft markets is of paramount importance to Piper Aircraft,” said Piper president and CEO John Calcagno. “Despite the supply chain and labor challenges our industry faced this year, we were still able to deliver our aircraft as promised, create valuable enhancements across our product lineup, and pass these improvements to our Piper dealer partner network and retail customers.”

Other developments helping Piper’s business during the year included FAA approval of a Master Minimum Equipment List, or MMEL, making it easier to use the M600/SLS for Part 135 charter service. That model also received approval for operation from unpaved fields, which increases its flexibility. Last year Piper also announced its collaboration with CAE to develop a supplemental type certificate for an electric-powered PA-28-181 Archer.