Large Orders, New Partners, Educational Programs, and New Planes

Piper Aircraft took the stage with some major announcements on July 22, 2025, at EAA Oshkosh AirVenture, with one of the biggest announcements (and orders) in the company’s history, along with some other announcements regarding the partnerships that have developed more recently.

One of Piper's long-standing partners, the University of North Dakota (UND), was responsible for placing Piper's largest fleet agreement to date. The contract includes 188 aircraft over the next 10 years, an order worth roughly $155 million.

UND, a major college for flight training, will be receiving 145 Archer and Seminole trainer aircraft beginning in 2027, followed by 43 more through 2036. This is a continuation of a nearly 40-year partnership, and it’s a great investment for the future pilots going through their flight training program.

Now, let’s talk about the new Piper Seminole DX. The new aircraft will feature DeltaHawk’s 180-horsepower diesel and jet-A powered engines: FAA-certified, American-made, and turbocharged. These liquid-cooled engines will provide 35% better fuel efficiency, a 32% increase in single-engine climb performance, and a 70% increase in the single-engine ceiling. And don’t forget the counter-rotating feathering props. “DeltaHawk is a customer-focused culture that’s essential for success in aviation. Piper treasures our partnership," the release said.

Piper also announced that they are a now proud sponsor of EAA’s Aero Educator program, a free online program designed to spark an interest and inspire K–12 students with aviation exposure. With varying levels of education, it gives students options to choose from based on their age and level of knowledge, and interest. “Aero educator will be a successful incubator for future students who will one day train with one of our Piper flight school alliance members.”

With all of these partnerships expanding from DeltaHawk to United Aviate, UND, and Sierra Charlie, Piper isn’t just selling and manufacturing aircraft. UND is trying to sell them out, and while it’s quite the order to fulfill, Piper has yet to let their customers down.

FMI: www.piper.com