ATP Flight School has partnered with Textron Aviation to purchase 40 new Cessna 172 Skyhawk aircraft.
The addition, scheduled for delivery in 2025, will supplement ATP’s extensive existing fleet of nearly 200 Skyhawks, spread across its 82 training centers throughout the United States.
Textron Aviation is responsible for the design and manufacture of the Cessna Skyhawk, which has been an integral part of pilot training for over six decades. The Skyhawk’s sturdy flight characteristics, advanced avionics, and impressive dispatch reliability have made it a consistent training platform for ATP Flight School for over thirty years.
ATP Flight School has used the stalwart Cessna for over thirty years and this order marks the second major purchase of Skyhawks by ATP Flight School in less than a year. In October 2022, the flight school procured 55 Skyhawks from Textron Aviation, with deliveries expected to commence in the third quarter of 2023. These acquisitions support ATP’s Airline Career Pilot Program goal to train 20,000 airline pilots by 2030.
Chris Crow, Vice President of Textron Aviation Piston Sales, expressed excitement about the ongoing relationship between the companies. “We are thrilled to see these aircraft continue to inspire the next generation of professional pilots through this agreement with ATP Flight School,” Crow said.
The new Skyhawks will serve a vital role in ATP’s training mission, placing students in the cockpit of the most popular training aircraft in the industry. ATP’s Vice President of Marketing, Michael Arnold, commented, “With 95 Skyhawks on order, ATP is committed to providing students with unparalleled access to a modern and advanced fleet so they can achieve their airline career goals on the fastest timeline possible.”
Arnold went on to highlight ATP’s rigorous safety standards and the crucial role the Skyhawk plays in achieving their goals. “ATP’s nationwide fleet operates over a half million flight hours annually, with the oversight and support from ATP’s safety, maintenance, and flight operations quality assurance teams. The Skyhawk’s proven dispatch reliability and effectiveness as a trainer is crucial in meeting this mission and delivering industry-leading training.”
The Cessna Skyhawk has a long history, with over 45,000 airframes delivered to customers worldwide — more than any other aircraft in aviation history.
