Nearly three years after entering service, the twin-engine Cessna SkyCourier has finally been delivered to a customer outside the United States.
On Monday, Textron Aviation announced the delivery of a Cessna 408F freighter to Canada-based Air Bravo, which has bases in Thunder Bay, Sudbury, Barrie and Meaford, Ontario.
The SkyCourier, however, was reportedly received in mid-January and was in Thunder Bay by the end of the month.
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Founded in 2001, Air Bravo operates Pilatus PC-12 aircraft providing passenger, cargo and air ambulance services.
Air Bravo’s SkyCourier freighter was given the registration C-GSRW and a striking red and black paint job.
“We’re proud to be the first SkyCourier customer in Canada, and this aircraft is a perfect fit for supporting the cargo side of our business,” said Rick Horwath, president and CEO, Air Bravo. “The aircraft has a roomy cockpit, it’s easy to fly and the avionics are user friendly. We look forward to putting it to use.”
The delivery comes weeks after Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) certified the SkyCourier in the country.
Deliveries down in 2024
Despite its versatility — it can carry 19 passengers or 6,000 pounds of cargo and a mix of both — the SkyCourier has yet to replicate the success of its single-engine sibling, the Caravan.
As of last month, Textron Aviation had delivered just 38 aircraft, 12 of which were in 2024, a 33% drop from 2023.
The largest operator of the turboprop is FedEx, with 27 Cessna 408F cargo aircraft. Bering Air has four more, while Everts Air and Lana Air each operate two.
A SkyCourier is also available at Kamaka Air, Samaritan’s Purse and now Air Bravo.
Of the 38 aircraft, 34 are freighters, five are passenger-configured and two are Combi models, which can be quickly converted to both missions.
