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• Amy Wilder
Textron Aviation has launched paid youth apprenticeship cohorts in Kansas spanning airframe and powerplant maintenance, avionics and engine buildup. The program offers a paid entry point into three technical fields relevant to aircraft production and maintenance; the available report does not specify cohort size or duration.
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Textron is expanding the SkyCourier’s presence in the special-mission market as Paraguay’s air force becomes the aircraft’s first operator in South America. The move establishes a new regional foothold for the twin-engine turboprop, though details of the aircraft’s mission configuration and operational plans were not provided.
Textron Aviation has launched paid youth apprenticeship cohorts in Kansas spanning airframe and powerplant maintenance, avionics and engine buildup. The program offers a paid entry point into three technical fields relevant to aircraft production and maintenance; the available report does not specify cohort size or duration.
Air Services Guyana plans to establish the country’s first fixed-base operator while growing its fleet. The move combines investment in business aviation infrastructure with fleet expansion, though the available report summary does not specify the facility’s location, aircraft additions or timeline.
The Paraguayan Air Force has received a Cessna 408 SkyCourier, becoming the twin-engine turboprop’s first military operator in South America. The aircraft adds transport, medical evacuation and humanitarian capability; the handover also coincided with delivery of the service’s sixth and final Embraer A-29 Super Tucano.
Azul’s first passenger-configured Cessna SkyCourier is scheduled to arrive at its Confins base on Sept. 28, where it will undergo import formalities and service preparation. The Brazilian airline plans to deploy the 19-seat turboprop within its broader domestic network.
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The FAA will rescind exemptions allowing single-pilot operations on certain older Cessna Citation models after finding widespread training and operational noncompliance, alongside broader safety concerns. NBAA and the Citation Jet Pilots Owner Pilot Association are questioning the sudden return to two-pilot requirements.
Azul Conecta plans to introduce Textron Aviation’s SkyCourier into commercial operations in early fourth quarter 2026, marking a future fleet expansion for Azul’s regional subsidiary. The announcement provides a defined target for the aircraft’s entry into the Brazilian regional market.
Textron Aviation has completed assembly of the 500th Cessna Citation Latitude at its Wichita facilities, marking a decade of deliveries for the midsize business jet. The Latitude entered service in 2015, offers a 2,700-nautical-mile range and seats up to nine passengers.
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