Textron Aviation receives order for 15 Skyhawks from ATP Flight School

Textron Aviation announced at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture that ATP Flight School has ordered 15 Cessna Skyhawk 172 aircraft. With the addition of these aircraft, the school’s training fleet will grow to include nearly 130 Skyhawks.

“We’re thrilled that ATP has chosen the Skyhawk time and time again to train its new pilots,” said Doug May, vice president, Piston Aircraft. “To meet the growing demand for pilots, flight schools need a proven, robust training platform, and that is exactly what the Skyhawk provides. We look forward to continuing to support training programs like ATP and the next generation of pilots.”

Deliveries of the new Skyhawks, integrated with next-generation Garmin G1000 NXi avionics, will begin in the third quarter. ATP's order supplements its 2016 purchase of 15 similarly equipped Skyhawks.

“With demand for airline pilots reaching unprecedented levels, increasing training capacity is vital to ensure a stable pipeline of pilots to the nation’s regional airlines,” said Justin Dennis, vice president, ATP Flight School. “The Skyhawk offers time-tested dispatch reliability. These new aircraft will provide Airline Career Pilot Program students with the platform they need for successful, efficient airline career training.”

About ATP Flight School – Training Pilots Since 1984
ATP’s Airline Career Pilot Program prepares pilots for airline careers from zero time to 1,500 hours, with CFI jobs and airline employment. Addressing the pilot shortage, airlines attract new pilots to the industry with ATP's Tuition Reimbursement Program, where airlines sponsor a portion of pilots' flight training loan repayment. ATP also provides type-rating and ATP CTP certification. ATP's 300 aircraft fly over 185,000 hours annually to provide nearly 5,200 FAA pilot certificates each year. As America’s largest flight school, ATP is the leading supplier of professionally trained pilots to the nation’s regional airlines.

About the Cessna Skyhawk 172
The Skyhawk platform is the world standard for pilot training and is renowned for offering the best combination of modern features, including the leading Garmin G1000 NXi avionics system with wireless connectivity, a standard Angle-of-Attack display system, and proven dependability. The aircraft’s high-wing design enables superior flying characteristics ideally suited for pilot training. More Skyhawks have been delivered to customers around the world than any other type of aircraft, with more than 44,000 put into service.