The Civil Air Patrol has contracted with Textron Aviation of Wichita, Kansas – the owner of three distinct brands (Cessna, Beechcraft, and Hawker) – to purchase 17 new aircraft. These new aircraft will replace older models in the current fleet.
The CAP Cessna piston-aircraft fleet is renowned in general aviation for its operating costs, performance, and durability. All of these are important factors for an organization that supports a variety of communities and performs a number of missions throughout the country.
The contracted aircraft include 17 piston-engine high-wing all-metal Cessna singles; 11 172S Skyhawks, 5 182T Skylanes, and a T206HD Turbo Stationair. The first aircraft will be delivered to CAP starting in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Headquartered at Maxwell AFB in Alabama, the Civil Air Patrol recently took delivery of two Cessna T206HDs from the 2019 order CAP placed with Cessna for 19 aircraft. According to Cessna, CAP’s aircraft “receive a small amount of extra equipment”, which includes a VHF-FM transceiver, a 406MHz emergency locator transmitter and extra 12v power outlets.
The Civil Air Patrol is the world’s largest operator of Cessna aircraft, with a fleet of nearly 550 examples that consist mostly of 172 Skyhawks and the longer-range 182 Skylane models. In 2019, CAP saved 117 lives and flew nearly 96,000 hours in their Cessna fleet.
“From search and rescue, to disaster relief and homeland security, the missions CAP undertakes daily are as broad as their footprint across the USA,” said Textron Aviation Special Missions Sales Vice President Bob Gibbs. “We are honored that Cessna aircraft continue to be the organization’s platform of choice for these crucial operations.” You can find out more about Cessna HERE.
The Civil Air Patrol was founded on Dec. 1, 1941, as the official civilian auxiliary of the Army Air Corps. Since the founding, CAP has become a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force. Through their 66,000 volunteer members they perform three congressionally assigned key missions: emergency services (including search and rescue by air and ground teams), disaster relief operations, and aerospace education. You can find out more about CAP HERE.