April 2nd , 2025

Textron Aviation Celebrates Ten Years of Top Hawk Program With Four New Recipients, Including First in the U.K.

WICHITA, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Textron Aviation today announced the tenth anniversary of the company’s innovative Top Hawk program designed to provide students with access to the world’s most popular trainer aircraft, the Cessna Skyhawk. As part of this milestone, which coincides with the 70th anniversary of the iconic aircraft, 2025 participants include United Flight Systems, Lunken Flight Training Center, Flex Air and VNE Aviation, the program’s first UK recipient.

The Cessna Skyhawk is designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company.

"With a demand for more than 200,000 new pilots globally in the next decade, it's vital to support young people pursuing aviation opportunities," said Lannie O'Bannion, senior vice president, Sales & Marketing. “The Skyhawk provides students with a technologically advanced flight training platform, ensuring that students at Top Hawk organizations are equipped with high quality equipment as the cornerstone of their careers.”

Since the program launched in 2015, Textron Aviation has placed nearly 50 Cessna Skyhawks with participating Top Hawk organizations around the world to inspire the journey of flight and support the industry with a robust pipeline of skilled aviators. As a Top Hawk participant, each organization receives a factory-new, custom-branded Cessna Skyhawk to use for the duration of the program for student pilot training and to promote pilot training at air shows, aviation contests and recruiting events.

Celebrating 70 years of the Cessna Skyhawk inspiring the journey of flight

The Skyhawk is considered the aircraft of choice for pilot training, and it is the most popular single-engine aircraft in aviation history. Since the aircraft first took flight in 1955, more than 45,000 Cessna 172 aircraft have been delivered to customers around the world — a greater number than any other aircraft in the industry. Known for its simplicity, ruggedness and reliability, the Skyhawk quickly became a favorite among flight schools and private pilots alike.

The single-engine four-seat, high-wing Skyhawk is renowned for offering a combination of modern features, including the Garmin G1000 NXi avionics with wireless connectivity, a standard angle-of-attack display system and proven dependability. The Cessna Skyhawk's new and modern interior includes features such as power headset plugs at each seat, USB charging ports and upgraded seats for enhanced comfort. The aircraft also features McCauley's aluminum fixed pitch propeller, providing greater reliability and operating time and a Lycoming IO-360-L2A engine with 180 horsepower.

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, Arctic Cat, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training. For more information, visit: www.textron.com

Source: Textron Aviation Inc.