The College of Aviation says the current fleet of 28 Cirrus SR20 G2 training aircraft, built in 2005 and 2006, isn’t enough to meet current demands for flight training. That will soon change now that the Board of Trustees has approved a proposal to replace and add more planes to the fleet with funding from a WMU Foundation loan.
Raymond Thompson, the dean of the College of Aviation, said in an email that the school had gotten bids from both Cirrus Aircraft and Piper Aircraft. He said the college selected the 2024 Cirrus SR20 TRAC aircraft to replace the older fleet. He said he's expecting the first half of the order, 14 planes, to arrive in mid-2024. The rest will be delivered the following year.
Thompson said the aging fleet will be sold over the next two years to make room for 33 new planes. The sale will also help cover the cost of the new aircraft.
The board's approval on Thursday will also allow the college to add a second Super Decathalon specialized trainer to the new fleet.
