The new aircraft, designed and built by Textron Aviation, uses a clean-sheet design and advanced manufacturing processes, and the first units will soon enter the market with its launch customer, FedEx Express.
Ron Draper, President and CEO of Textron Aviation says: “Our clean-sheet design brings to this segment what customers said they need: the ability to load, fly, unload and repeat with low operating costs and maximum cabin flexibility and efficiency. We expect the SkyCourier to be a workhorse of the fleet for FedEx and many other customers around the globe for decades to come.”
Three SkyCouriers have accumulated more than 2,100 hours throughout the flight test programme, which formally started with the inaugural flight in May 2020.
The first production unit was built earlier this year at its manufacturing facility in Wichita, Kansas.
FedEx Express has ordered 50 units with the option for 50 more. Along with other fleet operators, it sat on Textron Aviation’s Customer Advisory Board to help shape the aircraft’s design, features and serviceability.