Textron's SkyCourier Misses Its Dubai Airshow Debut

Textron Aviation had planned for the Cessna SkyCourier to make its Dubai Airshow debut this year, but a last-minute regulatory hurdle prevented the turboprop twin from reaching the show. The aircraft would have flown to Dubai after completing a tour of Africa but failed to obtain the necessary overflight permits, according to the U.S. manufacturer.

The demonstrator aircraft has spent the last two months touring Africa, giving prospective operators the chance to see what Textron says is its rugged design, ease of maintenance, special missions versatility, and ability to operate on rough runways. It is currently on the continent's east coast.

"Due to current geopolitical environment factors, the aircraft has so far been unable to secure the necessary overlflight permits to reach the Dubai Airshow on schedule," a spokeswoman told AIN. "It will instead continue its tour of Africa.

Bob Gibbs, v-p of special mission sales for Textron Aviation, described the SkyCourier as a versatile and “very dynamic” aircraft suitable for civil and military applications. The clean-sheet, high-wing turboprop has proved popular worldwide since receiving FAA type certification in March 2022. As the “first new 19-passenger aircraft in decades,” he highlighted that customers are drawn toward its reliability, comparatively low operating costs, and ease of reconfigurability.

Also available as a dedicated freighter variant with a 2,721 kilograms (6,000 pounds) capacity, the “combi” version certified by the U.S. regulator in 2024 is a factory-fitted solution in demand by the majority of the type’s operators, Gibbs explained. This “pretty unique” nine-seater makes the operator-configurable platform ideal for roles such as casualty evacuation and disaster relief support.

From “the Amazon to the Arctic,” Gibbs’ confidence in the product’s versatility is underpinned by an order book that has been sold out for over a year, he said. Following the first sale of two aeromedical-equipped variants to an Algeria-based operator in June, Textron delivered its inaugural units to Brazil this summer and received multiple Asian orders. These include “an interesting group of new customers that have never owned one of [Textron’s] products,” said Gibbs, who cited low operating costs and the aircraft’s flexibility as having swayed previous loyalties from rotary-wing or larger fixed-wing aircraft.

Within the Gulf region, Textron identifies additional use cases in the tourism market, potentially including seasonal transportation for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Although all deliveries to date have been commercial, the “amount of military attention has been huge,” Gibbs said.

Despite particular attention from South America, he believes this is a rising worldwide trend, with a lot of military and governmental organizations “not [having previously] thought of our product in that market space.” These missions could include logistics, transportation of maintenance equipment and personnel, surveillance, and maritime patrol. The manufacturer is already undertaking development work in support of the latter.

Textron is developing a door that can be opened mid-flight to facilitate parachute jumps, a modification set to fly in the first half of 2025 with a targeted certification date of 2027. Aeromedical supplemental type certification is also underway. “I think you’ll see a big shift in the next five years [toward] a lot more than just the military transport market,” Gibbs said.