Cessna SkyCourier Marks Five Years Since First Flight of Clean-Sheet Aircraft, Bringing High Payload, Versatile Mission Capability to Customers Around the World
Textron Aviation today celebrated the five-year anniversary of the first flight of the versatile Cessna SkyCourier, the company's clean-sheet twin-engine, high-wing utility turboprop. This is a significant milestone for this high-performing aircraft which has become a trusted asset for operators worldwide.
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Cessna SkyCourier marks five years since first flight of clean-sheet aircraft. (Photo Credit: Textron Aviation)
The Cessna SkyCourier is designed and produced by Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company.
To support growing flight activities of the SkyCourier, the company is investing in a 52,000-square-foot expansion of a production flight test hangar in Wichita, Kansas. The expansion will add an additional six hangar bays to the north side of a facility on Textron Aviation's East Wichita Campus.
"The versatility of the Cessna SkyCourier enables operators to tackle diverse mission profiles and operate in some of the most challenging environments in the world," said Lannie O'Bannion, senior vice president, Sales & Marketing. "With two variants of the aircraft and the optional gravel and combi conversion kits, the SkyCourier has brought innovative solutions to our customers around the globe."
The Cessna SkyCourier prototype first took flight on May 17, 2020. Since then, it has become a reliable solution for air freight, passenger, humanitarian and other special mission needs across the world with its ability to land on unimproved runways and transport passengers and cargo simultaneously.
Program Milestones
Recent program milestones include the first order from the Marshall Islands and first delivery to Canada. See below for additional milestones.
- March 2022 – Earned FAA type certification
- July 2022 – Certified in the Bahamas
- September 2022 – Certified in Suriname
- February 2023 – Optional Gravel kit offered
- June 2023 – Certified in Brazil
- August 2023 – Certified in Mexico
- May 2024 – Certified in Australia
- May 2024 – Combi conversion kit FAA certified
- July 2024 – Certified in the Philippines
- December 2024 – Certified in Canada
About the Cessna SkyCourier
The twin-engine, high-wing turboprop offers a combination of performance and lower operating costs for air freight, commuter and special mission operators.
The freighter variant is sized to handle up to three LD3 shipping containers with an impressive 6,000 pounds of payload capability. The 19-passenger variant includes crew and passenger doors for smooth boarding, as well as large cabin windows for natural light and views. Both configurations offer single-point pressure refueling to enable faster turnarounds.
The SkyCourier is powered by two wing-mounted Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65SC turboprop engines and features McCauley Propeller Systems' C779 propeller, a reliable 110-inch aluminum four-blade propeller, which is full feathering with reversible pitch, designed to enhance the performance of the aircraft while hauling tremendous loads. The SkyCourier is operated with Garmin G1000 NXi avionics and has a maximum cruise speed of more than 200 ktas and a 900 nautical-mile maximum range.
About Textron Aviation
We inspire the journey of flight. For more than 95 years, Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. company, has empowered our collective talent across the Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands to design and deliver the best aviation experience for our customers. With a range that includes everything from business jets, turboprops, and high-performance pistons, to special mission, military trainer and defense products, Textron Aviation has the most versatile and comprehensive aviation product portfolio in the world and a workforce that has produced more than half of all general aviation aircraft worldwide. Customers in more than 170 countries rely on our legendary performance, reliability and versatility, along with our trusted global customer service network, for affordable and flexible flight. For more information, visit www.txtav.com | www.defense.txtav.com | www.scorpionjet.com.
About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, and Textron Systems. For more information, visit: www.textron.com.
Certain statements in this press release may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
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Media Contact:
Heaven Cedeno
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www.txtav.com