LAKELAND, Fla. (April 5, 2016) – Cessna Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, today delivered a new Cessna Skyhawk 172 as part of an agreement recently signed with Epic Flight Academy. The multi-year agreement includes initial purchase of two new Skyhawk aircraft, product support, training and Epic’s commitment to purchase training aircraft solely from Textron Aviation to update its flight training fleet. Epic Flight Academy in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, currently operates 17 Skyhawks with Garmin G1000 avionics as the school’s primary flight trainer.
“Epic Flight Academy operates one of the leading flight training schools in the U.S. and we are excited to join efforts in energizing pilot training and providing state-of-the art aircraft and resources to student pilots,” said Doug May, vice president, Piston Aircraft. “Epic’s fleet replacement plan supports their commitment to provide the best flight training program in the industry.”
Doug May presented the keys to the new aircraft to Danny Perna, CEO of Epic Flight Academy, at Textron Aviation’s static display at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport during the Sun ‘n Fun International Fly-in & Expo. Epic’s need for new, state-of-the-art training aircraft has grown since the introduction of their Airline Career Sponsorship Program (ACSP) in connection with their airline partnerships.
Epic Flight Academy has been training pilots since 1999 from more than 70 different countries and offers both domestic and international flight training courses with aviation specific English preparation. Epic’s performance-based training financing provides added value to their student pilots, allowing them to set the industry standards higher for flight training operations.
About the Cessna Skyhawk 172
The Skyhawk is the world standard for pilot training and is renowned for offering the best combination of modern features, including the G1000 avionics system and proven dependability. The aircraft’s high-wing design enables superior flying characteristics ideally suited for pilot training. More Skyhawks have been delivered to customers around the world than any other type of aircraft.
Image: Delivery ceremony
About Textron Aviation Inc.
Textron Aviation Inc. is the leading general aviation authority and home to the Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands, which account for more than half of all general aviation aircraft flying. The Textron Aviation companies include Cessna Aircraft Company and Beechcraft Corporation, bringing together decades of unmatched experience in designing, building and supporting airplanes. It provides the most versatile and comprehensive general aviation product portfolio in the world through five principal lines of business: business jets, general aviation and special mission turboprop aircraft, high performance piston aircraft, military trainer and defense aircraft, and a complete global customer service organization. Its broad range of products include such best-selling aircraft as Citation and Hawker business jets, King Air and Caravan turboprops and T-6 military trainer aircraft, all of which are backed by the industry’s most capable global service network. For more information, visit txtav.com.
About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training. For more information visit: www.textron.com.
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