Redhawk Diesel Selected For Cochise College Fleet

Redbird to deliver 6 new RedHawk aircraft to Cochise College to upgrade training fleet

RedHawk Aero, a subsidiary of Redbird Flight Simulations, announced today that Cochise College in Douglas, Arizona has ordered 6 RedHawk aircraft in a move to upgrade and modernize their training fleet.  Students enrolled in the upcoming fall semester will utilize the new RedHawk aircraft while training for Private Pilot, Instrument and Commercial Pilot Certification in Cochise College’s professional pilot program.

“The selection of RedHawk aircraft for our training fleet, offers us flexibility and cost savings” said Belinda Burnett, Director of Aviation Programs and Chief Flight Instructor for Cochise College.  “With a field elevation of more than 4000 feet, performance is vital to us.  In our test flights, the RedHawk demonstrated improved climb performance to our existing fleet while burning less than 5 gallons per hour.”

Redbird began development on the RedHawk project in 2012 with a goal of creating a standardized training aircraft that is affordable, operationally economical and technologically advanced.  The result is a remanufactured Cessna 172, equipped with a Jet-A burning, FADEC managed, Continental engine, and advanced avionics.

“The combination of the Continental CD-135 twin-turbo diesel engine, and a new three-bladed, composite Hartzell propeller offers outstanding performance at a fraction of the hourly cost of a traditional Cessna 172” explains RedHawk VP of Operations, Darren Bien.  “The addition of state-of-the-art Garmin avionics offers student pilots hands-on experience with modern glass-panel systems without sacrificing the training benefits inherent with traditional steam gauges, making the RedHawk the perfect training airplane.”

Cochise College’s new airplanes will join a fleet of six other RedHawks currently operating in training programs around the country.

About Cochise College Aviation Department

Cochise College is a community college located in Southern Arizona. The institution opened its doors in 1964 as one of the first community colleges in Arizona. Today, it provides high-quality associate-level education, professional development and workforce training to about 14,000 students each year.

The Cochise College aviation program is well-respected and widely recognized throughout the industry. In more than 40 years of aviation training, it has placed graduates with all the major commercial airlines, the Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Customs, air freight services and corporate aviation companies. Aviation programs are certified by the FAA and the FCC. In addition, the Cochise College offers a wide variety of associate degrees and transfer programs, as well as technical and vocational training.

For more information about aviation training at Cochise College, visit www.cochise.edu/aviation, email aviation@cochise.edu or call (520) 417-4114.