Cessna fell well short of the 1,000 aircraft planned for the first full year since it resumed piston-single production. The company says that it delivered "300-350" aircraft in 1997, and blames unforeseen difficulties in restarting production at an all-new plant in Independence, Kansas.
The year-end total is below the estimates given in mid-1997, when the company said that it hoped to be able to deliver 500-600 Model 172s and 182s by the end of the year. It says that it underestimated the task of employing and training some 1,000 people to staff the new plant, and in relocating and ramping-up piston-single production after a hiatus of more than a decade.
Cessna admits that its objective of building 2,000 aircraft in the second year of production is unlikely to be achieved.
The manufacturer says that demand for its piston singles remains strong, with the Model 206 sold out for 1998 and production of the 172 and 182 sold out into the second half of the year.
Source: Flight International
