Meet the Fleet: How We Chose Our Training Aircraft

Meet the Fleet: How We Chose Our Training Aircraft

One of the first questions prospective students ask when visiting GoFly Academy is simple: what airplane will I train in?

It seems like a straightforward question, but the aircraft you learn in can have a major impact on your experience, confidence, and progression as a pilot.

Every flight school builds its fleet differently. Some prioritize lower operating costs while others focus heavily on newer technology and advanced avionics. At GoFly Academy, our goal has been to build a fleet that supports students throughout every stage of training while reflecting the aircraft and technology they are likely to encounter beyond their certificates.

Each airplane serves a different role, but all of them support the same objective: helping students become capable, adaptable, and confident pilots.

Why the Cessna 172 Continues to Be the Gold Standard for Training

Our fleet includes six Cessna 172s because they continue to set the standard for flight training around the world.

The Cessna 172 offers a combination of stability, predictability, and simplicity that makes it exceptionally well suited for learning. Students can focus on developing aircraft control, understanding procedures, and building decision making skills without being overwhelmed by unnecessary complexity.

Flight training requires students to constantly divide attention between aircraft control, radio communication, navigation, and situational awareness. The 172 creates an environment where those skills can develop naturally while still providing enough performance and capability to support students as they progress.

At the same time, our aircraft are equipped to prepare students for modern aviation environments.

Each of our Cessna 172s features:

• Dual Garmin G5 electronic flight displays

• Garmin 430W WAAS GPS navigation systems

• Glass cockpit familiarity while maintaining traditional flying fundamentals

This setup allows students to gain experience using contemporary avionics while continuing to build strong stick-and-rudder skills that remain essential throughout aviation.

For many students, the Cessna 172 becomes the aircraft where they complete their first solo, first cross country, first instrument approaches, and ultimately earn their certificates.

The Skycatcher: An Efficient Way to Build Hours

As students move into later stages of training, flight hour accumulation becomes an increasingly important part of progression.

Building time can become one of the more expensive portions of training, especially for students pursuing additional ratings or professional aviation pathways.

Our Cessna 162 Skycatcher was added to create a more accessible option for students looking to continue flying consistently while managing training costs.

The Skycatcher’s lighter design and lower operating costs allow students to log valuable flight time at a reduced rate without sacrificing the experience of flying a modern aircraft.

Equipped with a Garmin G300 avionics suite, the aircraft also introduces students to an integrated glass cockpit environment that feels familiar to many newer aircraft platforms.

For students focused on hour building, proficiency flying, or maintaining consistency between training milestones, the Skycatcher offers an efficient and practical option.

The Cirrus SR20: A Premium Training Experience

Flight training often starts with earning a certificate, but many students eventually begin thinking about the aircraft they may fly afterward.

Our Cirrus SR20 gives students exposure to a more advanced aircraft environment while introducing systems and workflows commonly found in premium general aviation aircraft.

The aircraft includes:

• Avidyne Entegra integrated avionics

• Dual Garmin 430 WAAS systems

• Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS)

Training in the SR20 allows students to experience a more integrated cockpit environment while learning how to manage higher levels of automation, situational awareness, and aircraft systems.

For students considering ownership, advanced ratings, or future professional flying, exposure to aircraft like the Cirrus provides experience that extends beyond initial training.

Check out our previous post here for more information on using a Cirrus for flight training.

Multi-Engine Training in the Piper Aztec

As students continue progressing, multi-engine training introduces a completely different layer of aircraft management and operational planning.

Our Piper Aztec combines traditional multi-engine flying characteristics with upgraded avionics including:

• Dual Garmin GI275 flight displays

• Garmin 430W navigation capability

Training in the Aztec allows students to develop an understanding of asymmetric thrust, performance planning, systems management, and multi-engine procedures while remaining familiar with modern navigation equipment.

Building a Fleet Around Student Success

There is no single aircraft that fits every stage of training, which is why we built a fleet designed to support different goals and different phases of a student’s journey.

The Cessna 172 remains the foundation because of its ability to develop strong flying habits and create confident pilots.

The Skycatcher provides an efficient option for building experience.

The Cirrus introduces students to a premium aviation environment.

The Aztec expands training into multi-engine operations.

At GoFly Academy, our philosophy is simple: build strong fundamentals first, then expand capabilities through exposure to different aircraft, technologies, and training environments.

If you have been considering learning to fly, a discovery flight is one of the best ways to experience the fleet firsthand and see which aircraft best matches your goals.