On Monday (9) Textron Aviation and FedEx Express celebrated the delivery of the first Cessna SkyCourier, the new twin-engine high-wing turboprop aircraft that had obtained its type certificate in March this year.
As the launch customer for the model, for which it has 50 aircraft on order (plus options for another 50) in the freighter version, FedEx was involved in the program’s development.
«FedEx took delivery of its first Cessna in the mid-1980s and the two companies have maintained a collaborative relationship over the four decades since,» said Ron Draper, president and CEO of Textron Aviation. «We are delighted to deliver this aircraft that will help FedEx serve its customers more efficiently, as it is designed with the option to carry industry-standard prepackaged cargo containers. We believe that many other air cargo, passenger and special mission operators will also benefit from the winning combination of low operating costs and unmatched lift capacity that the new Cessna SkyCourier brings to the market,» he added.
For his part, Scot Struminger, CEO and Executive Vice President, Aviation, FedEx Express, said, «For nearly 50 years, FedEx has been known for being flexible and innovative in finding solutions for our customers, and this aircraft will help us better serve small and medium markets where we cannot operate our larger aircraft.»
The Cessna SkyCourier is equipped with Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65SC engines and McCauley Propeller C779 four-blade aluminum McCauley Propellers. Its avionics are Garmin G1000 NXi. It offers a maximum cruising speed of 200 knots and a range of 900 nautical miles (1,667 kilometers). The passenger version can carry up to 19 passengers, while the cargo version carries up to three LD3 containers with up to 6,000 pounds of capacity (2722 kilograms).
In Latin America and the Caribbean, GUM Air is the launch customer for the passenger version of the model, after confirming the order for an aircraft in September last year.
