Mountain Air Cargo, a FedEx Express carrier in the United States and the Caribbean, operated the first cargo flight of the Cessna 408 SkyCourier, the aircraft designed by Textron Aviation that received its certification in March 2022. The first service linked Tallahassee (TLH) and Orlando (MCO) airports in Florida.

Mountain Air Cargo currently has three Cessna 408 SkyCourier aircraft in its fleet and plans to add five more by the end of 2023. The new airplanes will allow the company to «expand into new markets more quickly and safely», the company said in a press release.

«We are a people-first company who prioritizes pilot and maintenance careers with industry-leading quality of life», said Michael Bandalan, CEO of Mountain Air Cargo. «Having Cessna 408 SkyCouriers in our fleet offers tremendous career advancement opportunities for all in the rapidly growing air cargo industry», he added.

«We are excited to have the Cessna 408 SkyCourier moving into operations», said Bill West, VP of Supplemental Aircraft Operations at FedEx Express. «FedEx was involved in this project all the way back to the design stages, when we mentioned a need for a large cargo door and floor that can handle unit load devices and a plane that could carry 6.000 pounds of cargo over 200 miles», he added. In that regard, he said the aircraft is «a great addition».

The Cessna 408 SkyCourier

The Cessna 408 SkyCourier, a multi-role turboprop developed by Textron Aviation, completed its first test flight in May 2020. It received its type certification from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in March last year. Almost two months later, FedEx Express took delivery of the first aircraft.

The SkyCourier, powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65SC engines, is offered in several configurations. A cargo version with a maximum payload 6.000 pounds (about 2.700 kilograms), a passenger variant with up to 19 seats, and a mixed version. All are based on a common platform.

According to its developer, the airplane has a maximum cruise speed of 200 knots (370 kilometres per hour) and a maximum range of 900 nautical miles (1660 kilometres).

See also: Cessna SkyCourier obtains FAA certification