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Regarding the diesel TurboSkylane, Noah said the company was continuing with the program, but offered few more details other than that the project had Cessna's support. Asked specifically about the SkyCatcher, Noah said the company had sold about 20 of the aircraft and has an inventory of more that are available for sale. Ernest's comments after his presentation categorized the SkyCatcher program simply. "That program didn't have a business model that worked," he said. Business models that appear to be working for Cessna include those for the company's line of business jets. Still in development, the Cessna Latitude is on track for first flight early next year. The new Citation X could be certified as early as March of 2014, boasting a top speed of .935 Mach and regaining the title of fastest production business jet. And regarding the recently announced Scorpion Jet tandem seat military offering, Ernest said it will fly this year, "sooner to this date than the end of the year."
Rules.
The SkyCatcher was made in China, and it's O-200 engine parent company was also bought by the Chinese. Both did not sit well with Gen-Av types...
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” “That program didn’t have a business model that worked,” he said.”
No kidding! An “inexpensive” airplane became $150,000. I can buy all kinds of good airplanes with better characteristics for less money.
The idea was capitalize on the “Light Sport Aircraft” (LSA) market. That market wanted airplanes in the $25,000 to $65,000 price range at most.
An LSA is an airplane that weights no more than about half of what other airplanes weight, have weaker engines, and only require a Sport class license that allows a pilot to fly at his local airport during the daytime and only require about half the regular pilot training and use a driver’s license as the medical certificate instead of an FAA Medical Examiner performing a flight physical.
It was really about medically unqualified pilots, and people desiring to be pilots but medically unfit, that just wanted to get into the air. Some say it was about reducing costs for people only wanting to fly some. For some people that was true. The airplane market really does want to cut costs, but some used the opportunity to try to cheat the system.
Comes across as a bit of a jerk. Needs a Exec. VP with PR skills to hit the road and he needs to stay at his desk and have someone screen his calls. My sympathy to his direct reports.
“Ernest’s comments after his presentation categorized the SkyCatcher program simply. “That program didn’t have a business model that worked,” “
The original pan was to offer a GA LSA aircraft to the general public, as the new “150”, for less than $70K.
The mere fact that they had go to China, and still couldn’t keep the price under $125K says a lot about the current state of manufacturing in America.
All of those delays cost Cessna the market, as other LSA’s like the Slovenian-built Pipistrel Virus took away the market.
GA has become a wealthy man’s game.
Gone are the days when the average person is involved.
We’ve come a long way America...The wrong way.
No market for a $130,000 2 seater that cruises at about 100 knots and can’t fly at night or IFR? Who could’ve ever guessed? /sarc
There could be a huge market for a new affordable GA airplane in the US, especially with the TSA. But Cirrus wanted to target the rich guys who used to buy Bos and Mooneys, and Cessna wanted to sell an LSA at a price that 95% of potential customers could never afford. And there’s still no one making an airplane that most of the market can afford.