ATP Flight School orders 15 Cessna Skyhawk 172s

ATP Flight School has ordered 15 Cessna Skyhawk 172 aircraft from Textron Aviation in a deal announced at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture Oshkosh event.

Deliveries of the new Skyhawks, which are integrated with next-generation Garmin G1000 NXi avionics, will begin during the third quarter of 2017. ATP's order supplements its 2016 purchase of 15 similarly-equipped Skyhawks and will grow the company's training fleet to almost 130 Skyahwks.

“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,” explained Justin Dennis, VP of ATP Flight School. “These new aircraft will provide Airline Career Pilot Program students with the platform they need for successful, efficient airline career training.”

ATP’s Airline Career Pilot Program prepares pilots for airline careers from zero time to 1,500 hours. The school attracts new pilots  with its Tuition Reimbursement Program, where airlines sponsor a portion of pilots' flight training loan repayment.

“We’re thrilled that ATP has chosen the Skyhawk time and time again to train its new pilots,” said Doug May, VP Piston Aircraft at Textron Aviation. “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.”