The company provided the update today at the annual Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Expo, running Oct. 4-6 in Hartford, Conn. In the exhibit hall, Cessna showcases a mock-up of the SkyCatcher. At the static display at Hartford-Brainard Airport, Cessna features the Skyhawk TD, Skylane, Stationair, Grand Caravan, Citation Mustang and Citation CJ2+.

Cessna unveiled a proof-of-concept aircraft in July 2006 to gauge market response then announced in July 2007 that it would proceed with development of the concept, dubbed the Cessna 162 SkyCatcher. An introductory price of $109,500 will hold for the first 1,000 orders and then increase to $111,500.

The SkyCatcher features an exclusive Garmin glass cockpit – the G300 – and a Teledyne Continental O-200D 100-horsepower engine designed specifically for LSA. The aircraft will cruise at speeds up to 118 knots and will have a maximum range of 470 nautical miles. It will be capable of Visual Flight Rules/Day/Night operations.

The aircraft has a maximum gross weight of 1,320 pounds, a service ceiling of 15,500 feet, a useful load of 490 pounds and a usable fuel load of 24 gallons. Its cabin width at shoulder height is 44.25 inches, and two cabin entry doors and forward pivoting seats give access to a 12.5 cubic-foot baggage compartment. The SkyCatcher has tricycle landing gear with a castering nose wheel and standard dual toe-actuated disc brakes.

The aluminum aircraft will meet ASTM standard F2245 for light sport aircraft. First flight of the prototype SkyCatcher is set for the first half of 2008 and deliveries are expected to begin in 2009. Cessna expects to produce up to 700 a year at full-rate production.

Details and ordering information for the SkyCatcher can be found at http://www.cessnaskycatcher.com or by contacting a local Cessna dealer.

Based on unit sales, Cessna Aircraft Company is the world's largest manufacturer of general aviation airplanes. In 2006, Cessna delivered 1,239 aircraft, including 307 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of about $4.2 billion. Cessna has a current backlog of $11 billion. Since the company was originally established in 1927, some 190,000 Cessna airplanes have been delivered to nearly every country in the world. The global fleet of more than 5,000 Citations is the largest fleet of business jets in the world. More information about Cessna Aircraft Company is available at www.cessna.com.

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