Textron Aviation’s Cessna SkyCourier chosen by Hinterland Aviation for fleet expansion, revolutionizing regional connectivity in Australia

WICHITA, Kan. (Feb. 19, 2024) Textron Aviation today announced a purchase agreement for the first Cessna SkyCourier passenger variant in Australia to regional airline Hinterland Aviation. The aircraft, expected to deliver in 2026, will add to Hinterland’s expansive fleet of Cessna Grand Caravans to provide a greater payload capacity and increased passenger seating. This fleet expansion will greatly benefit remote communities, as well as the tourism and business sectors in Queensland. 

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

“The SkyCourier’s incredible performance makes it a reliable business tool for customers all over the world,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior vice president, Global Sales and Flight Operations. “With the ability to load, fly, unload and repeat — along with low operating costs and maximum cabin flexibility — the SkyCourier is a game-changer in regional connectivity. This order not only showcases the SkyCourier’s unmatched capabilities globally, but also highlights Textron Aviation’s commitment to delivering innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of the aviation industry.” 

The Cessna SkyCourier is meticulously designed to deliver unparalleled performance, unwavering reliability and cost-effective maintenance. With the ability to be operated by a single pilot and a generous payload capacity, the SkyCourier is the ultimate solution for air freight, passenger and special mission needs. The aircraft is highly adaptable and can effortlessly adjust configurations to effectively complete any mission, ensuring a significant return on investment. 

“We are thrilled to announce our order of the new Cessna SkyCourier. The aircraft will be a valuable addition to our fleet, allowing us to better serve our clients’ individual needs with room for 19 passengers and access to remote runways,” said Andrew Clair, CEO, Hinterland Aviation. The SkyCourier will serve as an important tool to help grow our business, and we will be proud to be the first airline customer in Australia to operate this aircraft.”  

About the Cessna SkyCourier 

The Cessna SkyCourier twin-engine, high-wing turboprop offers a combination of performance and lower operating costs for air freight, commuter and special mission operators. It’s available in both freighter and passenger versions. The 19-passenger variant includes crew and passenger doors for smooth boarding, as well as large cabin windows for natural light and views. Both configurations offer single-point pressure refueling to enable faster turnarounds. 

The freighter variant features a large door and a flat floor cabin that is sized to handle up to three LD3 shipping containers with an impressive 6,000 pounds of payload capability. 

The aircraft is powered by two wing-mounted Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65SC turboprop engines and features the McCauley Propeller C779, a heavy-duty and reliable 110-inch aluminum four-blade propeller, which is full feathering with reversible pitch, designed to enhance the performance of the aircraft while hauling tremendous loads. The SkyCourier is operated with Garmin G1000 NXi avionics and has a maximum cruise speed of more than 200 ktas. The SkyCourier has a 900 nautical-mile maximum range. 

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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 may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them. 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.