Textron Aviation announces order for 55 Cessna Skyhawks to support pilot training for ATP Flight School

WICHITA, Kan. (October 13, 2022) – Textron Aviation today announced an agreement with ATP Flight School for the purchase of 55 Cessna Skyhawk aircraft. The piston aircraft will add to ATP’s existing fleet of nearly 200 Skyhawks, across 74 training centers nationwide.

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

“This order announcement demonstrates our continued long-term relationship we have with ATP in support of their flight training needs,” said Chris Crow, vice president, Textron Aviation Piston Sales. “For more than six decades, the legendary Cessna Skyhawk has been one of the world’s top training aircraft. We are thrilled to see these aircraft utilized to inspire the next generation of professional pilots.”

Deliveries of the 55 aircraft will begin in late 2023 and continue throughout 2024.

Students in ATP’s Airline Career Pilot Program will utilize the new Cessna Skyhawks to train as airline pilots amid unprecedented demand for the skillset. The stable flight characteristics, advanced avionics, and proven dispatch reliability of the Cessna Skyhawk make it a dependable training platform for ATP, who flies 40,000 flight hours per month.

"ATP takes pride in providing Airline Career Pilot Program students with one of the newest, most advanced safety-focused training fleets," said Michael Arnold, director of Marketing, ATP Flight School. "The Skyhawk has proven to be an integral part of the ATP fleet, which system wide delivers 480,000 flight hours and nearly 9,000 pilot certificates issued annually. The new order with Textron Aviation will be essential in continuing to provide students with the fastest path to gain certification and start their careers as airline pilots."

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.

### 

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.  

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, Hawker, 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, the efficacy of research and development investments to develop new products or unanticipated expenses in connection with the launching of significant new products or programs; the timing of our new product launches or certifications of our new aircraft products; our ability to keep pace with our competitors in the introduction of new products and upgrades with features and technologies desired by our customers; changes in government regulations or policies on the export and import of our products; volatility in the global economy or changes in worldwide political conditions that adversely impact demand for our products; performance issues with key suppliers or subcontractors.