June 30th , 2023

Textron Aviation announces order for 40 Cessna Skyhawks to support pilot training for ATP Flight School

WICHITA, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Textron Aviation today announced an agreement with ATP Flight School for the purchase of 40 Cessna Skyhawk aircraft to be delivered in 2025. The piston aircraft will add to ATP’s existing fleet of nearly 200 Skyhawks, positioned across 82 training centers nationwide.

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

This is the second fleet purchase of Cessna Skyhawks for ATP's Airline Career Pilot Program in less than a year, as the flight school scales to train 20,000 airline pilots by 2030. In October 2022, ATP and Textron Aviation agreed to the purchase of 55 Cessna Skyhawks, with deliveries starting in the third quarter of 2023.

“The Cessna Skyhawk has been the standard in aircraft training for over six decades,” said Chris Crow, vice president, Textron Aviation Piston Sales. “We are thrilled to see these aircraft continue to inspire the next generation of professional pilots through this agreement with ATP Flight School.”

The stable flight characteristics, advanced avionics and demonstrated dispatch reliability of the Skyhawk have made it a dependable training platform for the flight school for over three decades. The new airplanes will be used by students to put them in the pilot’s seat of the most popular training aircraft in the industry.

“With 95 Skyhawks on order, ATP is committed to providing students with unparalleled access to a modern and advanced fleet, so they can achieve their airline career goals on the fastest timeline possible,” said Michael Arnold, vice president of Marketing, ATP Flight School. “ATP’s nationwide fleet operates over a half million flight hours annually, with the oversight and support from ATP’s safety, maintenance, and flight operations quality assurance teams. The Skyhawk’s proven dispatch reliability and effectiveness as a trainer is crucial in meeting this mission and delivering industry-leading training.”

Since the aircraft first took to the skies, more than 45,000 Skyhawks have been delivered to customers worldwide — more than any other aircraft in aviation history.

About the Cessna Skyhawk

The Cessna 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, over 45,000 Skyhawks have been delivered to customers around the world — more than any other aircraft in the industry. The single-engine four-seat, high-wing Skyhawk is renowned for offering the best combination of modern features, including the Garmin G1000 NXi avionics with wireless connectivity, a standard angle-of-attack display system, and proven dependability. The aircraft also features McCauley’s aluminum fixed pitch propeller, providing greater reliability and operating time.

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, Pipstrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training. For more information, visit: www.textron.com

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements which may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. 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, including, but not limited to, changes in aircraft delivery schedules or cancellations or deferrals of orders.

About ATP Flight School

ATP is the nation’s largest flight school, providing students with the most efficient path to a successful airline pilot career. For over 35 years, ATP has been the leader in professional flight training and supplying pilots to airlines. atpflightschool.com

About the Airline Career Pilot Program

ATP’s fast-track, fixed-cost Airline Career Pilot Program takes students from zero experience to commercial multi-engine pilots and flight instructors (CFI, CFII, MEI) in seven months. Offered at 82 locations nationwide, students gain the competitive edge with airline-oriented training, nationally awarded flight instructors, new aircraft, dedicated training and career support, airline-sponsored tuition reimbursement, airline direct programs, and access to 38 hiring partnerships. Airlines hire more Airline Career Pilot Program graduates than from any other flight school. atpflightschool.com/acpp

Source: Textron