UNSPSC 78181842: Aircraft fixed wing training

A 3 hours of flight training on the control and maneuvering of an airplane solely by reference to instruments, including straight and level flight, constant airspeed climbs and descents, turns to a heading, recovery from unusual flight attitudes, radio communications, and the use of navigation systems/facilities etc

UNSPSC 78181842 Aircraft fixed wing training (Commodity) covers specialized pilot training and certification services delivered by FAA-certified flight schools and academies to state and local law enforcement, public safety, and educational entities. Recent state and local solicitations under this code reflect demand for initial and recurrent pilot instruction across fixed-wing and rotorcraft platforms, including Private Pilot through Airline Transport Pilot certifications, instrument ratings, and aircraft type-specific proficiency training. The training scope typically includes one-on-one instruction, performance reporting at each stage, and completion within specified timeframes tied to operational readiness. Issuing bodies include state departments of public safety and law enforcement aviation units, municipal police departments with aviation operations, state universities, and transit or special-purpose authorities. Solicitations explicitly require FAA Part 141 certification (pilot school), Part 61 (general operating rules), and Part 147 (mechanic school) credentials as applicable, along with designated pilot examiners and airframe-and-powerplant maintenance authorization where the scope demands it. Geographic spread centers on Texas, Arizona, and Colorado, with Texas State University and the Colorado Department of Public Safety placing recent RFP and documented quote activity.

The Colorado Department of Public Safety issued a documented quote (DQ) on September 16, 2026 for initial and recurrent flight training on Pilatus PC-12 NG and King Air 200 aircraft at facilities within 600 driving miles of Denver, with responses due September 23, 2026; pricing is the primary evaluation factor and the contract term runs through December 31, 2028. The City of Phoenix released an RFP for helicopter pilot training and certification on a five-year term commencing January 1, 2027, requiring FAA Part 141 certification, a Phoenix-area facility, designated pilot examiners, and one-on-one instruction across Private, Commercial, Flight Instructor, and Instrument certifications; proposals were due August 21, 2026. Texas State University posted an RFP (May 22, 2026) for FAA Part 141 fixed-wing and rotor-wing flight instruction to develop workforce-ready pilots. The Texas Department of Public Safety opened enrollment (Addendum 1 effective May 26, 2026) for FAA-certified Part 61 or Part 141 flight training academies in Texas capable of delivering instruction on rotorcraft including Bell 407GXI and H145 platforms, with applications due August 31, 2030; this solicitation removed all HUB subcontracting plan requirements. The City of Tampa Police Department posted a sole-source intent (October 12, 2026) for specialized Bell 407 and Bell 206L-4 helicopter flight training, with response due October 15, 2026.