Textron Continues Top Hawk University Program

Textron Aviation announced this week it will continue its Top Hawk program for 2018, providing a new Cessna Skyhawk 172 to five university programs for use in their flight training and recruiting efforts. "As the Top Hawk program enters its fourth year, we're proud to build on a program that has allowed us to support general aviation and contribute to the enhancement of student pilot training," said Doug May, Textron's vice president for piston aircraft. The new Skyhawks will go to Middle Tennessee State University, in Murfreesboro; University of Dubuque, in Iowa; Lewis University, in Romeoville, Illinois; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, in Prescott, Arizona; and California Aeronautical University, in Bakersfield.

Garmin and Bose also will contribute to the Top Hawk program again this year. Garmin will provide a G1000 NXi database subscription and a Garmin Pilot subscription, and Bose will provide two A20 aviation headsets for each Top Hawk aircraft. The Top Hawk program began in 2015, with four universities. Students that year logged more than 1,300 flight hours in the airplanes.