Planemaker 'Closing In' On Certification

Cessna announced this week at Lakeland 2008 it is closing in on certification of the turbo diesel model of its popular 172 Skyhawk.

Cessna and Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH have accumulated more than 200 hours on a prototype of the single-engine piston aircraft in efforts to achieve European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification for the supplemental type certificate (STC) that will allow Cessna to offer a factory-installed engine operating on Jet-A fuel.

Once EASA certification is secured, Cessna will pursue type certification from the Federal Aviation Administration. Deliveries are expected to begin by mid-2008.

"Market interest in the new Skyhawk TD is very high; we plan to increase production in 2009 to meet the demand," said John Doman, Cessna vice president of worldwide propeller aircraft sales. "Customers see exceptional value and productivity in an airplane combining the reliability of the Skyhawk with Jet-A fuel’s wide availability and lower direct operating cost."

The Skyhawk TD features a Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) equipped Thielert Centurion 2.0 liter engine. The DOHC (double overhead camshaft) in-line four-cylinder turbocharged engine develops 155 horsepower, is liquid cooled and drives a composite three-blade constant speed propeller.

Benefits include reduced fuel consumption, lower direct operating costs, simplified engine operation and improved hot-and-high aircraft performance.

Cessna adds it has incorporated several aircraft design changes to simplify factory installation and maintenance, as well as to ensure full integration of the new engine with the Skyhawk’s systems and Garmin G1000 avionics system.

The Skyhawk TD offers increased range and endurance, making it an ideal solution for special mission applications like forestry patrol, wildlife conservation efforts, pipeline/power line patrol, traffic reporting and airborne law enforcement. The TD option has also seen early orders from large fleet flight training schools both in the United States and abroad, especially where 100LL avgas is either unavailable or much higher priced than Jet-A fuel.

In January 2008, Cessna began delivering its 172S Skyhawk models with the Garmin GFC700 Automatic Flight Control and Flight Director as standard equipment integrated into the aircraft’s already standard G1000 avionics. The Skyhawk GA and Skyhawk TD GA remain available without autopilots for customers desiring this configuration at a lower price.

2008 also marks the 60th anniversary since Cessna introduced the Cessna 170, the aircraft that was the predecessor to Cessna’s current production, high-wing piston aircraft -- the 172 Skyhawk, 182 Skylane and 206 Stationair. The 170 series was produced from 1948 until 1956, when the company added tricycle gear to create the Cessna 172.

The Skyhawk has become the best-selling, most-flown airplane in the world with more than 43,000 delivered.

FMI: www.cessna.com