Although avgas is expensive, there is no shortage in the U.S., and oil companies continue to support its production and distribution. Nonetheless, Cessna Aircraft has decided to outfit its best-selling 172 Skyhawk with a diesel engine. Starting in the middle of next year, Cessna dealers will sell the Skyhawk TD powered by a 155-hp Thielert turbocharged diesel engine installed under an FAA supplemental type certificate (STC).
Cessna officials expected the Skyhawk TD to sell better outside the U.S. because the prices of avgas are much higher. But since the Skyhawk TD was announced last month, domestic dealers are ordering them in larger numbers than expected.
Cessna has just completed certification of the Garmin GDL 69A Data Link Receiver featuring XM WX Satellite Weather (FIS) and Radio. Production incorporation of the GDL 69A system will start in late July for all Cessna Single Engine Piston NAV III Avionics installations (excluding the 172 GA aircraft). Cessna is also aggressively working on the release of the retrofit kits for all NAV III aircraft currently in the field. The first set of Cessna Service Bulletins is expected to be mailed in early August. XM weather products will be available for the 48 continental US states.
Kansas State University Advanced Manufacturing Institute has developed a metal-bonding machine for Wichita’s Cessna Aircraft Co.
This new device increases structural metal-bond capacity and reduces vacuum-bagging requirements. It also significantly decreases costs and cuts the bonding cycle time in half, according to the project manager Rick Windholz. Read full story about Kansas State’s Advanced Manufacturing Institute’s metal-bonding machine.
Cessna Aircraft company seeks to purchase Colombia 350 and 400 from Columbia Aircraft Company. Cirrus, along with other manufacturers have welcomed this move. Cirrus suggested that if nothing else it underlines how important composite aircraft have become.
Last month Cessna Aircraft Co. of Wichita closed at the National Business Aviation Association convention in Atlanta with a value of more than $1 billion in new aircraft orders.
Cessna, owned by Textron Inc., said it took 178 orders in addition to those announced during the first day of the convention for 30 Citation Xs from XOJET and 30 Citation Mustangs from an unidentified European charter company.
Cessna also announced during the show that the Caravan will now feature the Garmin Ltd. G1000 avionics package.
Read full story about Cessna Aircraft Co.
MANSFIELD - A single-engine plane carrying four men nosedived into rocky underbrush just off a runway at Mansfield Municipal Airport after it struggled to take off yesterday, killing two of the men and seriously injuring the others. The 1973 Cessna 172 appeared to accelerate slowly when it began its takeoff roll at about 10:45 a.m. and wobbled as it left the ground, said Aaron Galvin, of Oak Bluffs, who landed his plane on the same runway just after the Cessna took off. Read full story about Cessna plane crash.
This is an example of a WordPress page, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many pages like this one or sub-pages as you like and manage all of your content inside of WordPress.