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"No future" for the Cessna Skycatcher

I think this is no big surprise for anyone.

Performance was marginal, the price much too high when compared to the used market and the controversy about Chinese sourcing scared away the last costumers.

The LSA market will remain an American niche catered by a few cottage-industry-companies. I doubt that the segment has much future in the light of the planned simplification of the Part 23 certification process.

But perhaps this reform will lead to some new certified two-seaters in the future? After the demise of the Liberty and the Robin/Alpha, all that remains is the DV-20. And that's an aircraft that is useless outside of the primary training scenario - no IFR, no aerobatics, no (however limited) touring capability.

LOAN Wiener Neustadt Ost, Austria

Demise of the Liberty? That is sad news to me. Any formal source? Last news on en.wikipedia.org is 200 samples to be assembled in China?

EBZH Kiewit, Belgium

Has the Chinese Liberty order ever materialised? AFAIK, they have shipped no (or only a handful) aircraft since 2010.

Edit: According to the GAMA reports, they have produced

  • 13 a/c in 2009
  • 14 in 2010
  • 3 in 2011
  • none in 2012
LOAN Wiener Neustadt Ost, Austria

Also, the DV20 has not been available as a new aircraft for, I don't know, almost 15 years now. The only 2-seater available as a new aircraft from Diamond is the DA20 Eclipse with the Continental...

Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

My club had a Rotax Katana, and after years of problems we sold it - and bought a Continental version, which is fine

I think when we last discussed this, the Big Q (for me, anyway) was: How did the normally very smart Cessna screw up so badly?

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

A guy I know slightly works for Cessna in Wichita. FWIW his comments prior to release of the Skycatcher led me to believe it was released on the basis of hope. The hope was that current day manufacturing cost could compete with the depreciated manufacturing costs associated with thousands of durable, existing aircraft that Cessna and other manufacturers supplied postwar, and which still fly fine. Right now those used aircraft dominate the market.

LSA as an FAA aircraft certification regime has significant problems associated with maintenance: parts and repair approvals must be sourced from the manufacturer, meaning ties with the airframe OEM are never broken, that OEM has a monopoly, and the buyer must forever be concerned with their business practice. I think the smarter buyers figured this out and bought normally certified used aircraft instead. They can be maintained more easily, with PMA parts, with FAA Field Approved repairs and by reference to AC 41.13. Some of them can be also flown by Light Sport pilots with no medical etc.

I think if and when the FAA eliminates the Class 3 medical requirement for private pilots flying light aircraft, combined with potentially simplified 'real' Part 23 certification, the Light Sport concept will wither to non-existence.

I don't think they are that smart when it comes to piston a/c.

They developed the NGP and then dropped it. They invested a lot of money into the Columbia range and absolutely lost out against Cirrus.

And they have no offer in the one segment where Piper is doing relatively well, high performance singles.

LOAN Wiener Neustadt Ost, Austria

Cessna might have done better to revamp the 150/2 aircraft with later avionics and fuel injected engine; probably could have avoided certification issues.

jxk
EGHI, United Kingdom

"Cessna might have done better to revamp the 150/2 aircraft"

The part count is about the same as a 172 so in this day and age the price would be about the same

"And that's an aircraft that is useless outside of the primary training scenario"

Which is a massive market if someone could get it right. And it was obvious from the off that Cessna didn't. You need to make the running cost 20% less than the old metal and as soon as someone does this they will make a mint.

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