Textron’s Top Hawk Programme Enters 10th Year with First UK Flight School Participant

USA/UK – Textron Aviation has marked the tenth anniversary of its Top Hawk programme, an initiative that supports student pilot development by providing flight schools with factory-new Cessna Skyhawks. The 2025 edition of the programme includes four participants:

• United Flight Systems
• Lunken Flight Training Center
• Flex Air
• VNE Aviation — the latter becoming the programme’s first recipient in the United Kingdom.

The program highlights:

• The Top Hawk programme celebrates 10 years of supporting flight training organisations with Cessna Skyhawk aircraft
• Each participant receives a factory-new, custom-branded Cessna Skyhawk for the duration of the programme
• Since 2015, Textron Aviation has placed nearly 50 Skyhawks with training organisations globally
• The programme promotes pilot training through student instruction and participation in aviation events

Celebrating 70 Years of the Cessna Skyhawk

• The Skyhawk is the most popular single-engine training aircraft, with over 45,000 units delivered since 1955
• The aircraft features Garmin G1000 NXi avionics, USB charging ports, modern interiors, and a Lycoming IO-360-L2A engine with 180 horsepower
• Known for its reliability and widespread use in flight schools, the Skyhawk remains central to pilot development worldwide

Statements:

• "With a demand for more than 200,000 new pilots globally in the next decade, it's vital to support young people pursuing aviation opportunities," said Lannie O'Bannion, senior vice president, Sales & Marketing. “The Skyhawk provides students with a technologically advanced flight training platform, ensuring that students at Top Hawk organizations are equipped with high quality equipment as the cornerstone of their careers.”

Source: Textron Aviation Photo Credit: Textron Aviation