Piper Aircraft Vice President Ron Gunnarson Joins National Flight Training Alliance Board

USA – The National Flight Training Alliance (NFTA), an advocacy organisation representing flight training organisations in the country, has appointed Ron Gunnarson, Vice President of Sales, Marketing, Customer Support & Quality at Piper Aircraft, to its Board of Directors — bringing a training aircraft OEM perspective to the organisation's mission of supporting and advancing flight training across the United States.

• Gunnarson's appointment strengthens the NFTA's growing network of industry leaders, adding direct representation from one of the largest training aircraft manufacturers in the market. Piper Aircraft plays a critical role in supplying flight training organisations with training platforms including the Archer LX and Pilot 100i, both widely used in U.S. Part 141 and Part 61 programmes.
• The appointment reflects NFTA's continued strategy of assembling key stakeholders across the aviation ecosystem — from flight schools and regulators to aircraft manufacturers — to drive progress in training, workforce development, and regulatory modernisation.
• NFTA is the FAA's official industry partner for the modernisation of Part 141 regulations governing flight training in the United States — a generational effort that the alliance described as reaching a major inflection point in early 2026. The organisation reported legislative success with two bills passed in 2025 and is currently engaged in the 14 CFR Part 141 Modernization effort in partnership with the FAA, including gathering industry input on Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) practical exam processes.

Statements

• "Ron's leadership, passion, and commitment to advancing flight training and aviation education make him exceptionally well suited for this role. He has long been a champion for the training programs we support and a trusted voice for flight training organizations across the industry," said John Calcagno, President and CEO of Piper Aircraft, Inc.
• "It's an honor to join the National Flight Training Alliance team. Their work plays a vital role in strengthening the future of professional flight training, and I'm proud to contribute to that mission. I look forward to bringing a training-aircraft OEM perspective to the key issues and emerging opportunities within our industry," said Ron Gunnarson.
• "Ron's experience across sales, customer support, and training operations brings valuable perspective to the NFTA Board. His leadership within Piper and deep understanding of the training environment will help strengthen our efforts to support flight training providers and the broader aviation community," said Lee Collins, CEO of the National Flight Training Alliance.

Source: NFTA