Western Aircraft, Inc., flying in Hawaii under the name Lāna'i, has taken delivery of the first passenger unit of the twin-engine, large-utility turboprop, the Cessna SkyCourier. The company offers luxury air service connecting Oahu to the island of Lāna'i.

“The Cessna SkyCourier is well on its way to becoming a legendary aircraft for our company,” says Lannie O'Bannion, senior vice president, global sales and flight operations, Textron Aviation. “It's highly versatile, with cabin flexibility, payload capability, performance and low operating costs, and has already proven to be popular around the world.”

Certification and deliveries of the SkyCourier commenced in early 2022. The aircraft is a clean-sheet, custom design that brings modern solutions and attractive value proposition to the segment.

“We're thankful for our talented team who brought the Cessna SkyCourier to life, and for customers like Lāna'i Air, who see the value in this incredible aircraft,” O'Bannion adds.

Designed with serviceability at the forefront, the SkyCourier features simple systems and easy access points throughout the aircraft for easy maintenance. The team also developed innovative ways to optionally convert the aircraft from a 19 seat passenger configuration to cargo configuration using patent-pending quick release seats and removable bulkheads.

The Cessna SkyCourier twin-engine, high-wing turboprop offers a combination of performance and lower operating costs for air freight, commuter and special mission operators. It is available in both freighter and passenger versions. The 19-passenger variant includes crew and passenger doors for smooth boarding, as well as large cabin windows for natural light and views. Both configurations offer single-point pressure refuelling to enable faster turnarounds.

The freighter variant features a large door and a flat floor cabin that is sized to handle up to three LD3 shipping containers with an impressive 6,000 pounds of payload capability.

The aircraft is powered by two wing-mounted Pratt and Whitney PT6A-65SC turboprop engines and features the McCauley Propeller C779, a heavy-duty and reliable 110-inch aluminum four-blade propeller, which is full feathering with reversible pitch, designed to enhance the performance of the aircraft while hauling tremendous loads. The SkyCourier is operated with Garmin G1000 NXi avionics and has a maximum cruise speed of more than 200 ktas. The SkyCourier has a 900 nautical-mile maximum range.