Cessna accomplished two first flights on 19 April, flying the Citation Bravo business-jet and Model 172 piston-single prototypes from different airports in Wichita, Kansas, within 45min of each other on the same day.
Certification of the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW530A-powered Citation Bravo is scheduled for April 1996. Production is planned to begin in December, leading to first deliveries in June 1996. The Bravo replaces the Citation II light business-jet and offers improved take-off, climb, cruise and payload/range performance, plus other refinements.
The prototype 172 is powered by the 135kW (180hp) fuel-injected Textron Lycoming IO-360 engine that Cessna plans to install in the aircraft when production resumes in mid-1996. The original 172, production of which was suspended in 1986, was powered by a 110kW O-320. Other changes include a new fuel system.
The aircraft was flown by director of technical engineering Ellis Brady, who says, "We planned to establish a 2,400RPM engine speed at maximum cruise, but we were actually showing 2,700RPM. That's a function of the propeller pitch, so we're adjusting it to accomplish the target power and speed performance." Brady reached 135kt (245km/h) at 5,000ft (1,500m) during the first flight.
First delivery of a 172 from Cessna's new Independence, Kansas, piston-aircraft plant is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 1996. Deliveries of Model 182, 206 and Turbo 206 piston-singles will follow in 1997.
Source: Flight International
