Fly Around Arkansas has expanded its operation at Baxter County Airport by adding three new Tecnam training airplanes and relocating them to a newly built hangar. The announcement, made by the flight school on August 6, marks the completion of its second year at the Midway-based airport.
The school was founded 28 years ago at the municipal airport in Palmer, Alaska, by Artic Wikle. Co-owner Don Hammond later joined the business, and the pair opened the Baxter County location in 2024. According to the school, better flying weather in the Twin Lakes area and closer proximity to students were key reasons for the expansion. Since the move, operations have continued to grow steadily.
“We are so pleased to be here in the Mountain Home area,” Hammond said, emphasizing how invested the owners are in building roots in the community. “We have bought homes and relocated our families to grow our business along with the local economy.”
The three incoming aircraft—Tecnam models Astore and Sierra—are manufactured in Italy by one of Europe’s largest builders of piston-engine planes. Unlike many training aircraft in the U.S., which are based on decades-old designs, Tecnam's planes feature composite materials, modern avionics, and fuel-efficient systems.
The flight school is staffed with full-time FAA-certified flight instructors, with additional part-time instructors brought in as needed. Each instructor has at least 400 hours of flight experience and remains current with FAA recency requirements. Training is highly individualized, with students paired directly with their instructors for better scheduling and quicker certification timelines. The instructor team includes both men and women, a reflection of a national trend that shows increasing diversity in the aviation industry. Women currently account for about 9% of certified flight instructors and approximately 16% of student pilots in the U.S., according to figures cited by the school.
Fly Around Arkansas offers comprehensive, accelerated training programs for all levels of aviation, from sport pilot licenses to airline transport pilot certificates. The sport license, which requires only a valid driver’s license to satisfy FAA medical requirements, limits pilots to simpler aircraft and one passenger. More advanced licenses and ratings, including private, commercial, and instrument certifications, are also available. The Professional Pilot Program, which runs from private to commercial certification, costs $69,665. Additional training for other FAA ratings, such as multi-engine or instructor qualifications, ranges from $6,250 to $9,350. These costs include aircraft and instructor time but are subject to change based on market conditions.
While plans are in place to make the Tecnam aircraft available for rental, the school has not yet finalized rates. Early estimates suggest flights may cost about $210 per hour, with instructors available for checkout flights at $75 per hour.
For more information, details can be obtained in person at the airport terminal building, located at 6462 Highway 126 near Midway, or by contacting Gerald Gaige at 870-656-6005.