Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Two-seat light sport aircraft and trainer

Power Plant:

One 75 kw (100 hp) Continental O-200D four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine

Specifications:

History:

In 2006 Cessna announced it intended to produce a series of new designs using modern technology and amongst these was a new training aircraft, seating two, to meet new light sport (LSA) aircraft regulations introduced in the United States. In July 2007 at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) event at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Cessna showed a mock-up of an all-metal light sport aircraft aimed at this part of the market, and stated it had already received orders for 400 aircraft. By September 2007 orders had increased to 720 aircraft.

Some production was to take place in China and the first Chinese-built aircraft was expected to be delivered from the Shenyang factory in mid 2009.

In mid 2007 the Australian Cessna piston sales agent, Aeromil Pacific, announced it had sold four Skycatchers in Australasia. First of these was expected to be delivered to Airborne Aviation at Camden, NSW in early 2010.

Following the loss of the prototype Skycatcher during spinning tests in Wichita in 2008, Cessna re-designed the tail, giving the fin additional area and less sweep back. The original dorsal fin was removed to compensate for the weight of the larger fin. The prototype of the new design was flown in early 2008 and entered production in 2009, with production expected to build up to 700 a year by 2011. The new aircraft had a Garmin G300 glass avionics system and was fitted with a tricycle undercarriage.

The second prototype was badly damaged on 19 March 2009. On this occasion the pilot used the Ballistic Recovery Parachute to save the aircraft but on landing it was turned over by high winds.

Some 40 Cessna 162s were expected to be delivered to US customers in 2009. The type was built in China and sold in the United States by Yingling Aircraft of Wichita, Kansas.

However, in January 2010 Cessna announced modifications were required to the tooling at the Shenyang factory to incorporate changes to the aircraft design, and the factory was re-tooled, thus causing some delay in deliveries. The changes were designed to improve spin recovery performance and were aimed at reducing the aileron-down and elevator-up travel, increasing the size of the rudder and adding a ventral fin beneath the tail.

Examples started to arrive in Australia and New Zealand in 2011, the first in Australia becoming VH-LSO (c/n 16200013) to Aeromil Pacific of Mudjimba, QLD, the first in New Zealand becoming ZK-DNA (c/n 116200060 – ex N60360) to Flightline Aviation of Gisborne. A number of examples have been registered under RAA Regulations, including 24-7950 (c/n 16200058 – ex N6031F), 24-8162 (c/n 16200176 – ex N6064H), 24-8163 (c/n 16200144 ex N602AG) which initially became VH-OPT but transferred to the RAA Register, 24-8093 (c/n 16200162 – ex N60419) and 24-8329 (c/n 16200135 – ex N60110) initially registered as VH-CEA but transferred to the RAA Register.

In February 2014 Cessna announced it would stop production of the Skycatcher with 210 delivered and another 80 built which would not be sold but would be used to support the existing fleet. The aircraft not sold were then placed in storage at Independence in Kansas. In late 2016 these aircraft commenced to be crushed for scrap.