First Cessna SkyCourier aircraft to roll out by 2020:
In a key milestone in the development of clean-sheet aircraft, Textron Aviation has successfully mated the wings and fuselage of the first Cessena Skycourier twin utility turboprop aircraft.
"As expected, the operation was sound as the wings were secured on the fuselage, and the new Cessna SkyCourier took another major step in its development," said Chris Hearne, senior vice president, Programs and Engineering. "The Cessna SkyCourier's rugged; high-wing design will give the aircraft excellent operational and performance characteristics for its diverse mission profile."
Currently, the landing gear and avionics ground testing is under process along with the assembly of the prototype of additional five flight. The first flight of Cessna SkyCourier is expected to be in 2020.
Cessna SkyCourier will find use in multiple configurations like freighter, passenger or a combination of both which will offer single-point pressure refuelling to enable faster turnarounds. The freighter configuration is designed to accommodate three standard air cargo containers (LD3) while the passenger variant carries up to 19 passengers and baggage.
Designed for high utilisation, robust performance and lower operating costs, Cessne SkyCourier will feature the popular Garmin G1000 NXi avionics suite and offer highlights such as a maximum cruise speed of up to 200 ktas and a maximum range of 900 nm.