The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved Textron Aviation's Combi interior kit for its Cessna SkyCourier aircraft that will allow it to carry a mix of passengers and cargo.
US aircraft designer and manufacturer Textron Aviation said in a May 20 press release that the FAA has granted certification of a new Combi interior conversion kit for the passenger variant of the twin-engine Cessna SkyCourier turboprop aircraft that will enable operators to transport nine passengers and cargo simultaneously.
The combi option allows for the seats at the back of the aircraft to be removed and a separating wall to be installed to create a cargo area, while there is still space for nine passengers at the front.
The cargo area can be added and removed depending on the operator's requirements. The aircraft can carry up to 19 passengers in its standard configuration.
Deliveries of Cessna SkyCourier passenger units with the Combi option included are slated to begin later this year.
“This newly certified combi kit adds to the growing list of options for the versatile Cessna SkyCourier,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior vice president, global sales and flight operations.
“The Combi will allow operators to use the aircraft for an even broader range of missions globally and quickly change configurations to best serve their needs.”
The Cessna SkyCourier is available in both freighter and passenger variants, as well with a Combi configuration.
In addition to the 19-person passenger variant, the freighter variant features a large door and a flat floor cabin that is sized to handle up to three LD3 shipping containers with 2.7 tonnes of cargo.
IT has proved popular among express carriers such as FedEx, which owns 16 SkyCouriers and has another 31 on order according to Cirium.
Both variants offer single-point pressure refuelling to enable faster turnarounds.
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