Textron Aviation has signed an agreement to support the ATP Flight School’s Airline Career Pilot Program with an acquisition of 40 additional Cessna Skyhawk aircraft, set to be delivered from 2026 onwards.
Textron Aviation has reached an agreement with ATP Flight School for the acquisition of 40 additional Cessna Skyhawk aircraft, set to be delivered from 2026 onwards. This purchase builds on ATP’s existing fleet of nearly 225 Skyhawks deployed across more than 85 training centers nationwide. It aims to provide aspiring pilots with access to a modern and advanced fleet to support their career goals.
Chris Crow, vice president of Piston Sales, Textron Aviation said, “For over six decades, the legendary Cessna Skyhawk has inspired the next generation of pilots and served as the world’s leading flight trainer. We are delighted to continue our long-standing relationship with ATP and provide their students access to the most produced single-engine aircraft globally.”
The Cessna Skyhawk, designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation, is a pivotal component of ATP’s Airline Career Pilot Program. This marks the fourth fleet purchase in just over a year, totaling 135 Cessna Skyhawks, as ATP scales up its operations to train 20,000 airline pilots by 2030.
This fleet expansion underscores ATP Flight School’s commitment to providing a cutting-edge and safe training environment for students, aligning with its goal of preparing the next generation of airline pilots efficiently.
“With already one of the youngest, most modern fleets at scale, the firm orders for 135 Skyhawks are for direct fleet growth, not replacement. Over the next three years, ATP will be expanding its Cessna fleet by 60% and delivering over 40 new state-of-art planes to ATP students each year through 2026,” said Michael Arnold, vice president of marketing, ATP Flight School. ATP’s fleet expansion has been responsibly paired with an investment in its Florida-based flight operations center. Dedicated safety, tech ops, and quality assurance departments promote a high level of safety across the ATP network with real-time monitoring, risk mitigation, and safety trend analysis as they orchestrate 800 daily flights. This structured airline-based approach to flight operations provides students with a safety-focused environment from the onset of their professional careers as they become airline pilots on the most efficient path possible,” he further added.
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The Cessna Skyhawk stands out as the preferred aircraft for pilot training, holding the distinction of being the most popular single-engine aircraft in aviation history. Since its inaugural flight in 1955, over 45,000 Cessna 172 aircraft have been delivered globally—more than any other aircraft in the industry. The Skyhawk offers a combination of modern features, including Garmin G1000 NXi avionics with wireless connectivity, a standard angle-of-attack display system, and proven dependability. With a Lycoming IO-360-L2A engine providing 180 horsepower and a McCauley aluminum fixed-pitch propeller, the aircraft ensures reliability and operational efficiency for aspiring pilots.
