ATP Flight School grows fleet, orders 10 Skyhawks from Textron Aviation

Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, today announced at Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture 2018 that longtime customer ATP Flight School has placed an order for 10 Cessna Skyhawk 172 aircraft — growing the school’s fleet of Skyhawk pistons to nearly 150 — 50 of which Textron Aviation will have delivered new since 2016, further securing the Skyhawk’s reputation as the world’s premier flight trainer.

“Renowned for its proven dependability, superior flight characteristics and modern technology, the Cessna Skyhawk has long been revered as the world’s flight trainer of choice, a testament to Textron Aviation’s expertise and support of training the next generation of pilots,” said Chris Crow, Textron Aviation vice president of piston sales. “As ATP continues to grow its fleet to train the next generation of pilots, this order underscores the relevance of the time-tested Skyhawk platform and ATP’s unwavering confidence in Textron Aviation.”

The 10 ordered Skyhawks feature Garmin G1000 NXi avionics with autopilot technology that complies with the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) recently implemented Technically Advanced Aircraft (TAA) rule. Under this rule, students can exclusively train in the Cessna Skyhawk to complete both their commercial rating and their checkrides for commercial and certified flight instructor (CFI) ratings.

“The success of our students and instructors is paramount," said Justin Dennis, ATP president. "As the largest supplier of pilots to regional airlines, we are proud to continue our investment in our students' careers, providing greater access to reliable aircraft."

In 2017, Textron Aviation delivered 129 Skyhawk aircraft, furthering establishing it as the flight trainer of choice for pilots and flight schools around the world. With more than 44,000 put in to service, the Cessna Skyhawk has trained more pilots than any other platform.

About ATP Flight School – Training Pilots Since 1984

ATP’s Airline Career Pilot Program prepares pilots for airline careers from zero time to 1,500 hours, with CFI jobs and airline employment. Addressing the pilot shortage, airlines attract new pilots to the industry with ATP's Tuition Reimbursement Program, where airlines sponsor a portion of pilots' flight training loan repayment. ATP also provides type-rating and ATP CTP certification. ATP's 320-plus aircraft fly over 260,000 hours annually to provide nearly 6,800 FAA pilot certificates each year. As America’s largest flight school, ATP is the leading supplier of professionally trained pilots to the nation’s regional airlines.

About the Cessna Skyhawk 172

The Skyhawk platform is the world standard for pilot training and is renowned for offering the best combination of modern features, including the leading Garmin G1000 NXi avionics system with wireless connectivity, a standard Angle-of-Attack display system, and proven dependability. The aircraft’s high-wing design enables superior flying characteristics ideally suited for pilot training. More Skyhawks have been delivered to customers around the world than any other type of aircraft, with more than 44,000 put into service.

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ATP Skyhawk