Russia’s Saint-Petersburg State University of Civil Aviation will purchase 12 new 172S Skyhawks from Cessna for its flight training programme.

The single-engine aircraft can fly up to a distance of 696nm at a maximum cruising speed of 122ktas.

The aircraft will the first western built plane to be accepted for the university’s flight training programme.

Cessna’s European sales manager Pana Poulios said that this is a significant order for Cessna and for the school.

“This is our first government fleet sale in Russia, and we are confident the pilots at the university will benefit from learning in an aircraft equipped with the latest avionics technology,” he said.

The 12 Skyhawks are scheduled for delivery by the end of 2009.