CESSNA HASBEGUN work on new light-aircraft designs to supersede its piston singles. No decision has been taken on when the Model 172, 182 and 206 will be replaced, but company sources suggest that a design freeze could take place 18 months from now.
The US manufacturer restarted piston-single deliveries in January, following a ten-year hiatus. The company expects to produce 600-700 aircraft this year and to reach its target of 2,000 aircraft annually by the end of the year. Cessna says that sales so far suggest that the planned production rate of four 172s, two 182s and two 206s a day can be sustained.
From 1998, the company will face increased competition from manufacturers of all-new light aircraft. Cirrus Design hopes to certificate its SR20 early in 1998 and plans to deliver at least 100 aircraft in 1998. Lancair plans to begin deliveries of its Columbia 300 - formally launched at the Experimental Aircraft Association Oshkosh show on 30 July - in the third quarter of 1998.
Cirrus has 106 orders for its SR20 which, at $160,000, is priced as a direct rival to the 172. Lancair has some 80 orders for its $205,000 Columbia, which makes it price-competitive with the 182. Both are all-composite, low-wing, fixed-gear four-seat aircraft which are claimed to offer higher performance than that of Cessna's all-metal, high-wing singles.
Cirrus plans to develop a version of the SR20 with a more-powerful, 225kW (300hp) engine, as a competitor to the 182. Lancair uses the same Teledyne Continental IO-550 in the Columbia, and is planning a lower-powered version to rival the 172. Cessna says that its design studies are centred on issues of powerplants and composites.
Lancair has been flying its certification-test prototype since April. The aircraft is being developed as a joint venture with Malaysian composites manufacturer CTRM. Cirrus hopes to make the delayed first flight of its SR20 certification-test prototype in October. Each company says that it will be able to produce up to 500 aircraft a year.
Source: Flight International
