Textron Aviation recently 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.
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
