24 July, 2019: Textron Aviation has expanded its agreement with long-term customer, ATP Flight School, for orders and options for up to 100 Cessna Skyhawk aircraft through 2023. The new aircraft will be supplementing and replacing aircraft in ATP's existing fleet of over 375 aircraft and adds to the 20 Skyhawks ATP has already taken delivery of over the last year.
"For more than two decades, the Cessna Skyhawk has led the light piston segment in deliveries, and we are thrilled that one of the largest Skyhawk fleet operators in the world, ATP Flight School, continues to select the platform to modernize its fleet," said Chris Crow, vice president, Textron Aviation Piston Sales. "The new agreement with ATP demonstrates that the Skyhawk continues to be the world's definitive training aircraft for future pilots."
The new Skyhawks will be used solely by students in ATP's Airline Career Pilot Program, as they train on the most efficient path towards becoming airline pilots amid unparalleled demand for airline pilots. The stable flight characteristics, innovative avionics, and proven dispatch reliability of the airplane have made it a dependable training platform for ATP, who flies 31,000 flight hours per month.
"Our students count on us to provide them with the most efficient path to the airlines, and we rely on the Cessna Skyhawk for delivering on the commitment," said Justin Dennis, ATP's president. "ATP has more graduates flying at the airlines than any other academy. Continuing to invest in our students' success with this fleet order allows us to put the best training aircraft into their hands, setting the foundation they'll carry with them throughout their career as they go on to fly for our airline partners and every major US airline."