PA44-180 Delivered to Inter American University

On Tuesday, 28 March 2023, Piper Aircraft, the storied and perennial American aircraft manufacturer, announced it had delivered a specimen of its enduring PA44-180 Seminole light twin-engine airplane to Puerto Rico’s Inter American University (IAU). The purchase agreement by which the aircraft was acquired was signed at SUN ‘n FUN 2022. Comes now SUN ‘n FUN 2023, and the promised Seminole—the first to be delivered to Puerto Rico in a quarter-century—has arrived on the Caribbean island and unincorporated U.S. territory.

Currently, the aviation department at IAU offers three academic programs at the institution’s Bayamón campus: Associate of Applied Science Degree in Commercial Pilot; Bachelor's Degree in Aircraft System Administration (Professional Pilot); and Bachelor's Degree in Aviation Science Management (administrative positions in airlines, airports). Accredited by the esteemed Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI), the IAU School of Aeronautics is the only college in the Caribbean that offers two baccalaureates in discrete areas of the aviation sciences.

Inter American University—which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2023—is a longtime Piper fleet customer and Flight School Alliance member. In 2021, the school took delivery of four, single-engine Archer TX aircraft. The new Seminole is part of the university’s long-term fleet modernization plan and brings IAU’s all-Piper fleet to a total of 11 aircraft.

Inter American University interim president Dr. Rafael Ramírez Rivera stated: “The arrival of the Piper Seminole is tangible evidence that reaffirms our commitment to offer our students the best so that they acquire the skills and knowledge of excellence that they deserve. For Inter [IAU], the Bayamón Campus, the School of Aeronautics and its Aviation programs, [this aircraft] represents pride and distinction, which positions us as a unique institution of its kind.”

Dr. Rivera continued: “The achievements of our students, alumni, and faculty are our best letters of introduction, so we hope that this year we can reap more success and celebrate as a university community that serves the country and the entire world.”

Piper Aircraft vice-president of sales, marketing, and customer support Ron Gunnarson set forth: “At Piper, we value our fleet partners globally and join Inter American University in celebrating this milestone delivery. We take pride in helping programs like IAU accomplish their flight training goals and provide their students an industry-leading aviation education in a platform like the Seminole.”

The twin-engine Seminole has trained generations of pilots and features robust construction, stable twin-and-single-engine flight characteristics, and a generously-low Vmc. The Seminole’s pair of durable, 180-horsepower, Lycoming IO-360-A1H6 engines stand up to the rigors of multi-engine training—running in near-perpetuity despite the exigencies of shock-cooling peculiar to V1 cuts and single-engine air-work. The two-blade, constant-speed, Hartzell propellers by which the Seminole is impelled forward are of the full-feathering type—another capability essential to multi-engine training and proficiency.

The latest iteration of Piper’s enduring Seminole aircraft family offers buyers a cockpit kitted out with Garmin’s G1000 NXi avionics suite and ergonomic, hand-fitted, heavy-duty vinyl and wear-resistant leather seating well-suited to keeping students and MEIs cool and comfortable throughout the most sweat-inducing, simulated single-engine go-arounds. As it has been for decades, the Seminole is designed specifically for efficient, comfortable, and safe multi-engine flight training. After the fashion of its Archer TX stablemate, the new Seminole is available with optional cabin air-conditioning.

FMI: www.piper.com