Parrish Aviation Is Opening in Fort Worth — First Training Flight April 7

Fort Worth, TX — April 2, 2026 — Parrish Aviation Flight Academy is proud to officially announce the opening of our Fort Worth location. Our first training flight will take off on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 — a milestone that marks the next chapter in our mission to produce exceptional professional pilots across the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.

Already FAA Part 141 Certified

This isn't a startup location working toward certification — the Fort Worth facility opens fully FAA Part 141 certified from day one. That means students who enroll here will immediately have access to our structured Career Pilot Program under the same FAA-approved training course outlines that have defined the Parrish Aviation standard since our Part 141 certification was awarded in July 2025.

Part 141 certification requires FAA-reviewed training course outlines, stage checks at key milestones, and ongoing oversight — the same disciplined framework that mirrors professional airline training standards. No shortcuts, no variance. The same Parrish Aviation product, now on the west side of DFW.

Opening Up West DFW

Our flagship campus at Dallas Executive Airport (KRBD) has always served students from across the metroplex, but the DFW area is large — and commute time is a real barrier. The Fort Worth location changes that. Students on the west side of the metroplex — from Keller to Burleson, from Weatherford to Cleburne — now have a Parrish Aviation Career Program campus within reach.

We believe geography shouldn't determine who gets access to a world-class flight training program. This location is a direct investment in making that true.

Part of the Purdue Global University Pathway

The Purdue Global partnership has been one of the most meaningful additions to the Parrish Aviation program in recent years. Bringing it to Fort Worth from day one ensures that students at this location aren't a second tier — they have access to every advantage we offer.

Led by Josh Childs, ACFI

The Fort Worth location will be led by Josh Childs, one of our Assistant Chief Flight Instructors and one of the most dedicated members of the Parrish Aviation team. Josh's story is the Parrish Aviation story: he came to us as a student with zero flight time, went through the full program, earned his certificates, and was hired on as a CFI. He has since grown into one of our most trusted instructors and leaders — and has now been selected to lead the charge in Fort Worth.

That arc matters. Josh doesn't just teach the program — he lived it. He knows what it takes to go from the first lesson to a professional pilot career because he did exactly that here. Students at the Fort Worth location will be led by someone who carries the culture from the inside, not someone who simply inherited it.

Our Home at Hicks Airfield

For our President, Jack Parrish, this location is personal. Jack grew up near Hicks Airfield and later leased a hangar here for his own Aeronca Champion. He has had his eye on opening a sister campus on the Fort Worth side of DFW for years — not as a business calculation, but because of a genuine connection to this field and a conviction that the west side of the metroplex deserved the same quality of flight training available in Dallas. When the right property became available — the one with by far the most ramp space at the airport — the timing and the opportunity aligned. This wasn't a site selected from a spreadsheet. It's a homecoming.

The Fort Worth location is anchored by our primary leasehold property at Hicks Airfield (T67) — the former Beacon Restaurant, a well-known landmark on the field that we have repurposed into a purpose-built flight training operation. The facility offers abundant ramp space, a variety of classroom configurations, and immediate access to the runway. That ramp space matters — it gives us room to grow and the capacity to meet the needs of the community for years to come. Everything a serious flight training program needs is right here, on the field.

Operating from Hicks gives our students something that matters deeply in professional pilot training: proximity. There is no driving to the airport, no waiting in a lobby, no friction between the classroom and the cockpit. You walk across the ramp and you fly. That kind of access — paired with the controlled environment of a dedicated training facility — is exactly what the Parrish Aviation program is built around.

What This Means for Prospective Students

If you've been considering the Parrish Aviation Career Pilot Program but the commute to Dallas Executive felt like an obstacle, that obstacle is gone. The Fort Worth location offers:

• Full FAA Part 141 Career Pilot Program from Private through Commercial
• Purdue Global university pathway — earn your degree alongside your ratings
• The same Parrish Aviation training culture, stage check structure, and professional standards
• Led by an experienced ACFI with deep roots in the Parrish Aviation program
• Dedicated facility at Hicks Airfield — abundant ramp space, classrooms, and direct runway access
• 100% financing available through Wurthy Financial — deferred payments during training
• Serving the west DFW area — Fort Worth, Keller, Weatherford, Burleson, and surrounding communities

Full Financing Available at Fort Worth

One thing we're bringing to Fort Worth from day one is our financing program. The full Career Pilot Program can be financed through our lending partner, Wurthy Financial. Wurthy specializes in aviation training loans and offers 100% financing — meaning students can cover the full cost of training without a large upfront payment. Payments are deferred during training so you can focus on flying, not financial stress.

Cost should not be the reason someone doesn't pursue a pilot career. If you're serious about the program, we encourage you to start a Wurthy application early. Getting pre-qualified is straightforward and gives you a clear picture of your options before you enroll.

A Note from Parrish Aviation

Opening a second location is not something we did casually. We spent time making sure the certification was right, the leadership was right, and the program was ready before we put a date on it. April 7th isn't just a first flight — it's the beginning of what we expect to be a long chapter of Parrish Aviation training excellence in Fort Worth.

We are proud of what we've built at Dallas Executive, and we are equally proud to bring it west. The DFW aviation community is world-class, and we intend to serve every corner of it.