Civil Air Patrol orders 21 Cessna aircraft for emergency missions

Piston-engined aircraft will assist with training and disaster response missions.
Textron Aviation has announced an order of 21 additional Cessna piston aircraft for the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). These will add to the operator’s existing fleet of 543 single-engined models.

The non-profit and US Air Force auxiliary is the world’s largest operator of Cessna aircraft, and delivery of the new additions is expected to be completed in 2027.

The order, announced on 21 October, includes 11 Skylane 182s, seven Skyhawk 172s, two Turbo Skylane T182Ts, and one Turbo Stationair HD 206.

CAP serves as a support for the US military and government partners through providing emergency services, joint training, and youth initiatives. It has 72,000 members who operate across 1,424 locations nationwide.

Activities include searching for missing people, providing aerial imagery and damage assessments following disasters.

“From search and rescue to disaster response and aviation education, these missions demand aircraft that are capable, dependable and ready to serve,” says Bob Gibbs, vice-president of defence and special mission sales at Textron.

Since October 2024, the organisation says it has flown nearly 200,000 hours, completed 860 search and rescue missions and saved 104 lives. The fleet also includes utility and regional aircraft from other manufacturers, such as the GippsAero GA8 Airvan.

Repositioning of Cessna

The order follows a run of special mission business for Textron’s turboprop models. On 7 October, the airframer announced that the Paraguayan air force had become the first South American military operator of the Cessna SkyCourier twin turboprop. That followed a five-aircraft order from Belgium in April, as Textron continues to reposition the type towards the defence market.

The SkyCourier has secured its first sales in the special mission market. Source: Textron Aviation

Their relatively small operating cost, versatility and ability to operate from smaller airfields make the Cessna models suitable for a wide-range of special missions including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, says Textron Aviation.

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