The SkyCourier, a high-wing, twin-turboprop utility design, will join Hinterland’s large fleet of Cessna Grand Caravans, bringing an increase in passenger seating and payload. Textron said expansion of the Hinterland fleet will benefit the remote communities that the airline serves as well as tourism and other businesses in Queensland.

“The SkyCourier’s incredible performance makes it a reliable business tool for customers all over the world,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior vice president of global sales and flight operations for Textron Aviation. “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.”

A single pilot can operate the SkyCourier, which is designed to be adaptable to a range of passenger, freight, and special-mission flights. It is available in both freighter and passenger versions, with the 19-passenger model boasting crew and traveler doors for easier boarding. Both configurations offer single-point pressure refueling for rapid turnaround. 

• READ MORE: Textron Aviation Delivers First Passenger Cessna SkyCourier

“We are thrilled to announce our order of the new Cessna SkyCourier,” said Andrew Clair, CEO of Hinterland Aviation. “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. 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.”

The aircraft is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65SC engines with McCauley C779 propellers. The 110-inch, four-blade props have full feathering with reverse pitch. The aircraft is equipped with Garmin G1000 NXi avionics and boasts a maximum cruise speed of more than 200 ktas and range of 900 nm.

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The company said the SkyCourier, which received FAA certification last year, “offers an unparalleled combination of performance, capacity, and capability.” The aircraft’s versatility makes it ideal for service in Brazil, where demand for air transport is growing and the geography can be challenging.

• READ MORE: Textron Aviation Delivers 1st Passenger Cessna SkyCourier

“The Cessna SkyCourier’s high payload capacity, short takeoff and landing capability, and cost efficiency make it a great choice for operators in Brazil,” said Lannie O’Bannion, Textron’s senior vice president, global sales and flight operations. “The aircraft’s versatility and performance equip customers in the region with smart solutions for their unique missions and circumstances.”

The SkyCourier is designed to serve remote locations and areas with limited infrastructure while performing missions ranging from passenger and cargo transport to special operations. The aircraft’s recently certified gravel kit option enhances its ability to operate from unimproved strips.

• READ MORE: Cessna SkyCourier Gains FAA Type Certification

The aircraft is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65SC turboprop engines mounted on the wings and has a maximum cruise speed of more than 200 ktas. It can carry up to 19 passengers in its cabin, which can be reconfigured for cargo using quick-release seats and removable bulkheads. The aircraft has up to a 6,000-pound payload capacity.

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Company officials predict that the gravel kit option will make the SkyCourier more attractive to a variety of customers such as humanitarian organizations, government agencies, law enforcement and militaries, air ambulance operators, freight haulers, and corporations that benefit from operating off unimproved runways.

The SkyCourier, Cessna’s clean-sheet design twin-engine turboprop, was FAA certified in March 2022. Deliveries began two months later.

• READ MORE: The First Production Cessna SkyCourier Rolls Out in Wichita

The Cessna SkyCourier twin-engine, high-wing turboprop can be configured for both freight and up to 19 passengers. The aircraft has single-point pressure refueling to enable faster turnarounds when time is of the essence. The aircraft is designed to hold up to 6,000 pounds of payload.

The SkyCourier is powered by a pair of wing-mounted Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65SC turboprop engines with  McCauley C779 four-bladed propellers. The flight deck features Garmin G1000 NXi avionics.

“The addition of this new gravel kit greatly enhances the already rugged reliability of the SkyCourier,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior vice president of sales and flight operations. “Cessna aircraft have been moving people and critically-needed goods in and out of remote areas for decades, and this new capability allows SkyCourier customers to operate in some of the world’s most demanding environments.”

• READ MORE:Textron Delivers First Cessna SkyCourier to FedEx Express

The SkyCourier has a maximum cruise speed of more than 200 ktas and a range of approximately 900 nm.

The first deliveries of the SkyCourier with the gravel kit option are expected to begin later this month.

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Textron Aviation [NYSE:TXT] announced the rollout of the P1 unit on Friday for the super-size, twin-engine utility turboprop. Launch customer FedEx Express [NYSE:FDX] has been eagerly awaiting the first of its upgraded fleet flagship—initially proposed for delivery at the end of 2021—and it has played an integral part in the clean-sheet design’s envisioning and development.

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“Today is a rewarding day for our employees who have worked to design and build what I believe will become a legendary airplane for our company,” said Ron Draper, president and CEO of Textron Aviation. 

“The SkyCourier brings an impressive combination of cabin flexibility, payload capability, performance and low operating costs to the twin engine utility segment. We look forward to this highly versatile aircraft entering the market very soon.”

Update on Flight Test

The first SkyCourier (with a CE-408 model designation) took flight in May 2020, and it has now accumulated more than 2,100 hours in flight test on three test articles.

The first production-conforming unit marks the last stage of that program. After certification—now planned for the first half of this year—FedEx will accept the first of its new fleet. The company has committed to 100 units, with 50 aircraft in the cargo configuration on the initial order and 50 more on option.

The Model 408

The SkyCourier will come in both the cargo version and a passenger model that can flex to carry up to 19 people. The passenger version has both crew and passenger doors to facilitate entry and exit to the cabin compartment.

The Model 408 features:

• Two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65SC engines
• McCauley C779 four-blade, 110-inch propellers
• Garmin G1000 NXi integrated flight deck
• Flat-floor cabin capable of holding 3 LD3 shipping containers

Projected speed and range? A maximum of 200 ktas and a 900-nm range at its maximum endurance profile. The SkyCourier will lift up to 6,000 pounds of payload.

The post The First Production Cessna SkyCourier Rolls Out in Wichita appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The second flight test article for the Cessna SkyCourier program took flight in Wichita on August 11. In Textron Aviation company parlance, the first conforming prototype is referred to as “P1,” and it was this component of the SkyCourier program that made its first flight from Wichita’s Beech Factory Airport (KBEC).

Piloted by engineering flight test pilots Peter Gracey and Todd Dafforn, the 1 hour and 35 minute flight reached an altitude of 14,200 feet and a maximum airspeed of 210 knots—above the planned maximum cruise speed for the twin turboprop. As part of the flight test program, P1 will be used for systems testing, such as propulsion, avionics, and environmental control systems.

“This flight is another important step for the Cessna SkyCourier program as it will be used primarily for testing aircraft systems like avionics, environmental control and anti-icing,” said Chris Hearne, Textron Aviation’s senior vice president, engineering and programs. “Since the debut flight for the prototype aircraft, the team has rapidly moved through testing and has accomplished its goals of initial envelope expansion and handling, including stalls. When you consider they have achieved all these milestones despite the many disruptions caused by a global pandemic, it’s quite remarkable.”

One of three flying aircraft planned for the program, P1 joins the first test article, which has made 38 flights and tallied more than 76 flight hours—expanded the center-of-gravity and speed envelopes, stability and maneuverability proving, and initial powerplant tests. The company anticipates certification in 2021.

The post Cessna SkyCourier’s Second Test Aircraft Flies appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Cessna Aircraft’s SkyCourier, the company’s first new twin turboprop aircraft in a generation, took to the skies over Wichita, Kansas, on Sunday, May 17, for its first flight—a significant step toward entry into service for the clean-sheet aircraft.

The SkyCourier departed the company’s Beech Field Airport (KBEC) east campus, with Corey Eckhart, senior test pilot at the controls assisted by Aaron Tobias, Cessna’s chief test pilot. During the 2-hour and 15-minute flight, the team tested the aircraft’s performance, stability and control and its propulsion, environmental, flight controls and avionics systems. This first flight kicks off the important flight test program that validates the SkyCourier’s performance. The prototype aircraft, along with five additional flight and ground test articles, will continue to expand on performance goals, focusing on testing flight controls and aerodynamics.

The Cessna 408 SkyCourier will be offered in various configurations including a 6,000-pound payload capable freighter, a 19-seat passenger version or a mixed passenger/freight combination, all based on the common platform. The new high-utilization turboprop is powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65SC engines. The cockpit includes a Garmin G1000 NXi avionics suite. The SkyCourier promises a maximum cruise speed of up to 200 ktas and a maximum range of 900 nm. Both freighter and passenger variants of the airplane will include single-point pressure refueling as standard.

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