Cessna to assemble SkyCatcher in China

www.flightglobal.com ^ | 28/11/07 | Siva Govindasamy

[Freeport]

Cessna has become the latest airframe manufacturer to tap into China's growing aircraft production expertise, with the US airframer picking AVIC I subsidiary Shenyang Aircraft to assemble its new Model 162 SkyCatcher light sport aircraft (LSA).

Under the terms of the agreement, Shenyang will be responsible for aircraft assembly and Cessna will provide on-site personnel to oversee manufacturing, quality assurance and technical design. Cessna will design the aircraft and handle American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) compliance work, and be responsible for sales, distribution, customer service and warranty administration.

[wrench]

"Unfortunately, airplane accidents produce more corpses than survivors."

Who is your source for this nugget of information, Dan Rather? Last time I checked (FAA keeps good stats on aircraft accidents) well over 75% of aircraft accidents have survivors. The news only reports on sensational wrecks...."If it bleeds it leads"

[B4Ranch]

Give it to the cats!

[monday]

“Who is your source for this nugget of information, Dan Rather? Last time I checked (FAA keeps good stats on aircraft accidents) well over 75% of aircraft accidents have survivors.”

Does that include airplane accidents that happen on the ground at taxi speeds or slower and that are due to human error. The only statistic that matters is how many survivors there are in small plane crashes caused by manufacturer defect, as opposed to fatalities. By crashes I mean while flying, not while taxiing and only in small planes. My understanding is that falling out of the sky in a small plane isn’t a very survivable ordeal especially if, as was suggested in the original post starting this thread, the crash is caused by "Something like a wing collapsing on final".

[Dead Dog]

For a $108K you get to date rape yourself.

[Dead Dog]

Yes.

[Dead Dog]

Buy a Columbia. Censsa is buying Cirrus.

[KeyLargo]

No matter what, this is still going to be a $100,000. cute little light airplane that will not be able to stand up to the demands as a flight trainer, which is something that is sorely needed now.

See the “Fly Catcher” video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLxCfJhDI_E&feature=related

[driftdiver]

” They have to follow the same rules, and do... Again, take a trip to a vendor. Several I’ve been to are willing to take you on a plant tour.”

Companies in China do not comply with all the same EPA regulations, Labor laws, and so on that companies in the US have.

[driftdiver]

“Let the survivors sue the hell out of Cessna if it is proven that the fault lies with poor workmanship by the manufacturer.”

Not much help for the dead people. Wonder how long before this plan is pirated and sold by a Chinese company under its own name.

[driftdiver]

“Would it be safe to eat, or should we just give it to the cats?”

I wouldn’t even give it to the cats.

[Rita Hayworth]

Right now the insurance and the $5.00/gal AvGas are the main issues.

Yikes! My AvGas is still at $4.15.

[driftdiver]

“Who is your source for this nugget of information, Dan Rather? Last time I checked (FAA keeps good stats on aircraft accidents) well over 75% of aircraft accidents have survivors.”

I think the context was an accident caused by failure of the airframe. According to a quick search at NTSB it looks like 75% are non-fatal but these incidents include all things. Things like a hard landing, running into a ditch, running out of gas.

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp

[driftdiver]

An example of what the fatal incidents looked like.

“The FAA coordinator reported that the pilot’s airplane did not meet the requirements of FAR Part 103. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the bright nighttime flight. The pilot held a FAA private pilot certificate with an airplane single engine land and instrument airplane ratings.

An examination of the wreckage revealed components associated with the pullback shackle (assembly), which provides structural support to the wings, were missing. The wings were found folded inward from their in-flight rigid position.”

[wrench]

There is a very strict definition of "airplane accident" in the FAA. It involves major structural damage, and occurs while operating the aircraft.(the long, full version can be found in the F.A.R.s)

Inflight breakups are exceedingly rare. A loss of power while inflight doesn't sentence the occupants to death.

If you try to fly through a mountain, sure, you will turn into a grease spot: no different than if you try to drive your SUV through a bridge support.

Even most commercial aviation accidents are survivable if the occupants unass the wreck before the fire gets them.

What you are saying is that "teeth, hair, and eyballs wrecks" aren't survivable....no kidding. But they are the exception, not the rule.

Probably the most dramatic example of a horrible aviation wreck that many survived was the Souix City DC10 that grenaded an engine, and lost all hyd flight controls while at altitude. That widebody airliner cartwheeled on landing in a corn field, and all but disintegrated, but people walked away. If you ever get the chance, you should attend a lecture given by the pilot, he travels the country and talks about the ordeal.

[wrench]

http://www.airdisaster.com/special/special-ua232.shtml

Here is a good article on the crash.

[driftdiver]

Do we want to help the Chinese to learn to build better airplanes?

[wrench]

"An examination of the wreckage revealed components associated with the pullback shackle (assembly), which provides structural support to the wings, were missing. The wings were found folded inward from their in-flight rigid position.”" Part 103 refers to ultralights. These are toys, more like flying lawnchairs than real airplanes. They aren't maintained by trained licensed machanics, nor inspected by licensed inspectors. Even the good ones (oxymoron when referring to ultralights) will come apart if the very narrow flight envelope is exceeded.

If you leave the strut bolts out of a real airplane, it will fold the wings, as well. But this is why there is a reqirement for properly trained maintenance people to inspect and repair certified aircraft.

[wrench]

The Chinese are already building aircraft under license from Boeing, been doing it since the early 90’s.

[driftdiver]

“If you leave the strut bolts out of a real airplane, it will fold the wings, as well. But this is why there is a reqirement for properly trained maintenance people to inspect and repair certified aircraft.”

Absolutely. Are you saying then that Chinese manufacturing is of the same quality as US?

[onedoug]

‘Sounds like preparation for moving their entire manufacturing process there.