Cessna Delivers First Skycatcher

Photo Credit: Cessna

Cessna Aircraft Company has delivered its first Model 162 Skycatcher Light Sport Aircraft during a ceremony at Yingling Aircraft in Wichita, Kansas. Yingling is one of three U.S. re-assembly facilities for the Skycatcher. As previously announced, Rose Pelton, wife of Cessna Chairman, President and CEO Jack J. Pelton, received the first Skycatcher.

Cessna, in association with King Schools, has also developed a new Web-based training system for sport and private pilot certificates that will be available through the Cessna Pilot Center network of flight schools.

Cessna launched its Skycatcher program at AirVenture Oshkosh in 2007 and has since amassed more than 1,000 orders.

Source: Cessna

Gulfstream G250 Completes First Flight

Gulfstream Aerospace recently announced that its newest business jet, the large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G250, has successfully completed its first flight.

Photo Credit: Gulfstream

The aircraft was flown to 32,000 feet and achieved a maximum speed of 253 knots. Pilot Shapira commented that the flight was “extremely smooth with no issues.” IAI’s Flight Telemetry System enabled IAI and Gulfstream flight-test engineers on the ground to monitor the G250 aircraft systems in real time during the flight, as well as record the data from the first flight test point. “The G250 performed extremely well, just as we expected,” said Pres Henne, senior vice president, Programs, Engineering and Test, Gulfstream. “We’re looking forward to 2011 when we’ll begin delivering this aircraft to the customers who had tremendous input in its design.”

Source: Gulfstream

Cessna Delivers 300th Citation X

Cessna Aircraft Company has delivered the 300th Citation X to its authorized sales representative, Jetalliance, based in Vienna, Austria. The Citation X will be operated from Vienna by an unnamed retail customer. Jetalliance is Cessna’s authorized sales representative for Russia and Eastern Europe.

Photo Credit: Cessna

“The Citation X continues to be a popular aircraft all over the world, including Europe. The exceptional speed, reliability, and cabin comfort offered by the Citation X have contributed to its great success,” said Trevor Esling, Cessna’s vice president, International Sales. The Citation X is the world's fastest non-military aircraft with a top speed of .92 Mach, just under the speed of sound. Since launch, Cessna has delivered more than 45 Citation Xs to the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, and Africa).

Photo Credit: Cessna

The Citation X is the top of Cessna's line of light and mid-size business jets and was announced at the 1990 National Business Aviation Association annual meeting and convention. The first Citation X was delivered to golf legend and long-time Cessna customer, Arnold Palmer, in 1996.

Source: Cessna