Cessna SkyCourier expands global reach with two aircraft order from AIR Marshall Islands

WICHITA, Kan. (November 21, 2024) — Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, today announced a two-aircraft purchase agreement with AIR Marshall Islands Inc. (AMI) for its twin-engine, large-utility turboprop, the Cessna SkyCourier. The two aircraft – both passenger variants - will be used to support travel throughout the communities within the Marshall Islands. 

“The Cessna SkyCourier is an excellent choice to support the mission of AIR Marshall Islands. With its low operating costs and maximum cabin flexibility, the SkyCourier is a real game-changer in regional connectivity,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior vice president, Global Sales and Flight Operations, Textron Aviation. “This order is an excellent example of the SkyCourier’s unmatched capabilities for a variety of mission profiles, and also highlights Textron Aviation’s commitment to delivering innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of the aviation industry.” 

 AIR Marshall Islands is a commercially operated airline owned by the Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). It is based in Majuro, the capital city of the country, which is located in the South Pacific.  

“AIR Marshall Islands is thrilled to add the Cessna SkyCourier to our fleet,” said Captain Albon Jelke, general manager & CEO of AIR Marshall Islands, Inc. “This exciting development is a major milestone in our efforts to modernize our aircraft, allowing us to provide more reliable and efficient flights across the Marshall Islands. Our new SkyCouriers are perfectly designed to reach the remote atolls and islands, ensuring that essential air services are accessible to both our local communities and visitors.” 

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. 

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 variants, as well with a Combi configuration or gravel kit for maximum flexibility. 

The freighter variant is sized to handle up to three LD3 shipping containers with an impressive 6,000 pounds of payload capability.  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 SkyCourier is powered by two wing-mounted Pratt & Whitney Canada 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 and a 900 nautical-mile maximum range.    

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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, Pipistrel, 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 of orders.