Cessna SkyCourier aircraft expand operations in Paraguay and Brazil

The Cessna 408 SkyCourier turboprop aircraft is being deployed for both governmental and commercial purposes in South America.

The Paraguayan Air Force is set to acquire a SkyCourier, funded by a USD 11.3 million investment from Itaipú Binacional. The aircraft, manufactured by Textron Aviation, is scheduled to arrive in Paraguay on October 5. It is intended to enhance the state's capacity for humanitarian assistance, cargo transport, and emergency responses. Notably, the aircraft can be configured as an air ambulance capable of carrying up to four stretchers, a significant increase over the single-patient capacity of the Caravan models currently in use.

In Brazil, the airline Azul is integrating its first SkyCourier into its domestic network via its subsidiary, Azul Conecta. The 19-seat aircraft is intended to serve smaller communities, filling a capacity gap between the nine-seat Grand Caravans and larger regional planes. Azul plans to initially operate two SkyCouriers to evaluate operating costs and suitability for its regional routes.