The Civil Aviation Flying University of China (CAFUC) has purchased 42 Cessna 172 Skyhawk aircraft for use as its Ab Initio (primary) flight training platform. Twenty of the Skyhawks will be equipped with the new, all glass, fully integrated Garmin G1000 avionics package. The remainder will be outfitted with analog flight instruments. Delivery of the 42 Skyhawks is scheduled to begin during the first quarter of 2006.

This order establishes Cessna aircraft as the platform of choice for flight training in China and more than triples the size of Cessna's Single Engine Piston fleet in that country. The CAFUC currently trains 600 students each year but with their new aircraft, plans to increase that number to over 1000 students annually. Following primary flight training, CAFUC students will transition from the Skyhawk 172R to their new Cessna Citation CJ1 aircraft for advanced flight training.

"The Cessna Aircraft Company is extremely proud to be chosen by the CAFUC China's Premier Flight Training facility as their flight training platform and partner for the 21st Century," said Roger Whyte, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. More than 40,000 Cessna 172 aircraft have been built and delivered.

FMI: www.cessna.com