SkyCourier Freighter
PR: WICHITA, KS (May 2024) — Textron Aviation today announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted certification of a new Combi interior conversion option for the passenger variant of the twin-engine, Cessna SkyCourier turboprop aircraft. The Combi option enables operators to transport nine passengers and cargo simultaneously. Deliveries of Cessna SkyCourier passenger units with the Combi option included are slated to begin later this year.
The Cessna SkyCourier is designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company.
“This newly certified combi kit adds to the growing list of options for the versatile Cessna SkyCourier,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior vice president, Global Sales and Flight Operations. “The Combi will allow operators to use the aircraft for an even broader range of missions globally and quickly change configurations to best serve their needs.”
With the ability to be operated by a single pilot and a generous payload capacity, the Cessna SkyCourier is the ultimate solution for air freight, passenger and special mission needs. This additional option for the aircraft builds on the available gravel kit to pave the way for further use in global markets by a variety of customers, including government agencies, law enforcement and militaries, corporations and humanitarian organizations. The aircraft is highly adaptable and can easily adjust configurations to effectively complete virtually any mission, supporting a significant return on investment.
- The turboprop combi market has been lukewarm for some time. DHC has seen no interest in its Dash8 combi turn into orders, and we are aware of several deals that fell through. ATR won EASA combi certification in 2015 and won a few orders.
- The Skycourier might be different, though. The main reason is its size – smaller is likely to be better.
- Operators in the combi segment need flexibility, and while the larger models offer this, the conversation probably takes too much time. This is why the larger turboprops are more popular, staying either passenger or cargo.
- Moreover, the Skycourier competes primarily with the Viking Twin Otter. Textron has an order of magnitude more resources than Viking to support their aircraft. The Twin Otter is a storied aircraft, and even in its updated form, it is likely to see the Skycourier eat away at its niche market.
- Operators in this segment are highly risk-averse, and having Textron as the OEM lowers perceived risk.
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