Classes Kick Off This Month

Aero-News learned this week the first 11 of 44 Diamond DA20-C1 and one DA40 aircraft have arrived at Doss Aviation, at the Pueblo, CO airport for the USAF Initial Flight Screening (IFS) Program. The program is a 40-day, 25-hour flight screening course for up to 1,700 United States Air Force cadets annually.

"We chose Diamond aircraft because they best met the USAF technical specification. They combine excellent high density altitude performance and low operating, insurance and acquisition costs. There simply is no other proven cost-competitive aircraft on the market," said Frank Hunter, President of Doss Aviation. The Diamond DA20 is also used at the United States Air Force Academy, for their IFT program.

As Aero-News reported, Hunter is a 29-year Air Force veteran and has run similar schools in Texas. Hunter's company currently operates a flight-screening program at the Air Force Academy, but the AFA and Pueblo operations will remain separate.

"Being located near Colorado Springs, we have had the opportunity to monitor the performance of the USAFA-IFT fleet of Diamond DA20s, and we have been impressed with the aircraft performance, safety, operating cost and Diamond's service support. We look forward to receiving the first class of fifteen student pilots scheduled to arrive for our USAF-IFS program, this month."

The first 15-member potential pilot class is slated to arrive in Pueblo this month.

FMI: www.dossaviation.com, www.diamondaircraft.com