Civil Air Patrol orders 21 Cessna planes built in Independence

The Civil Air Patrol ordered 21 Cessna piston aircraft from Textron Aviation to support search-and-rescue, disaster response and training missions across the country.

The planes will be assembled at Textron Aviation's facility in Independence, Kansas. Deliveries are expected to be completed in 2027, according to the company.

The order includes seven Cessna Skyhawk 172 aircraft, 11 Cessna Skylane 182 aircraft, two Cessna Turbo Skylane T182T aircraft and one Cessna Turbo Stationair HD 206 aircraft. CAP operates from 1,424 locations nationwide and has a fleet of 543 single-engine aircraft.

"These Cessna aircraft help ensure our members are ready when communities need us, whether searching for someone who is missing, responding after a disaster, or introducing young people to aviation," said Maj. Gen. Regena Aye, CAP's national commander and CEO.

A photograph accompanying the Oct. 21 announcement shows Aye and Brig. Gen. R. Jason Bailey touring the Cessna piston assembly line in Independence.

Bob Gibbs, vice president of defense and special mission sales at Textron Aviation, said CAP turns flight hours into real impact for communities across the country. He said the missions demand aircraft that are capable and dependable.

CAP is a nonprofit organization and the official civilian auxiliary of the Department of the Air Force. Its 72,000 members include 35,000 adults and 37,000 youth. Members range from cadets who join at age 12 to adult volunteers with decades of professional expertise.

Since October 2024, the organization has flown nearly 200,000 hours, completed 860 search and rescue missions and saved 104 lives, according to the press release. Since tracking began in 1967, CAP is credited with saving nearly 5,000 lives.

In early 2026, CAP reported an estimated $334 million in operational value on a $73.5 million federal investment for the prior year. That works out to more than $4.50 in value for every federal dollar invested.

Textron Aviation, a Textron Inc. company, includes the Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker and Pipistrel brands.