Free Fuel, SVT Upgrade Among Enticements

Hoping to stem the tide of declining piston-engine aircraft sales in the face of what most say is a slumping economy, Cessna announced Tuesday a program that offers free fuel for up to 18 months and a free Garmin synthetic vision upgrade for new buyers of Cessna 182 Skylanes or Turbo Skylanes through September 30, 2008.

Under the program, Cessna will pay for fuel for the new Skylane up to $15,000 between now and the end of 2009, based on average usage and power settings (defined as flying 11.5 hours per month, at 12 gallons/hour on $6.00/gallon avgas. Cessna will also upgrade at no charge the Garmin G1000 avionics package standard on the 182 with Garmin's Synthetic Vision Technology (SVT) currently in the final stages of certification by Cessna and Garmin.

"When you couple this with the US government's bonus depreciation program for new business aircraft passed earlier this year, we have a package that offers unparalleled value for the popular 182," said John Doman, Cessna's vice president for propeller aircraft sales. "This will prove to be a very popular program as it provides unique ownership opportunities."

Bonus depreciation is part of the U.S. government's economic stimulus package enacted earlier this year and, if aircraft use and other factors meet qualifications standards, may provide substantial tax savings for new aircraft ordered in 2008 and delivering in 2008 or 2009.

Introduced earlier this year by Garmin, SVT is being jointly developed by Garmin and Cessna engineering for outfitting in that manufacturer's planes, and is scheduled for certification in by the end of the year.

As ANN reported, SVT offers an enhanced presentation of terrain as well as "Highway-in-the-Sky" (HITS) flight guidance and is integrated into the Garmin G1000 avionics suite -- the standard avionics suite in the Cessna 182, as well as in all other Cessna propeller aircraft and the Citation Mustang, which Cessna bills as the world's first fully operational entry level business jet.

To qualify for the incentives, a buyer must take possession of the Cessna 182 Skylane or Turbo Skylane between July 1 and September 30.

FMI: www.cessna.com