Graham Warwick/ATLANTA
REIMS AVIATION is negotiating to restart licence production of Cessna's piston singles. The French company previously built a range of Cessna aircraft for sale in Africa, Asia and Europe, but ceased production of piston singles when the US company did, in 1986.
Cessna describes reports of an agreement with Reims as "premature", but expects an announcement later this year, probably around the time of the Farnborough air show in September. The US manufacturer sold its 49% stake in Reims in 1989, and the company is now wholly French owned.
Reims' current product is the F406 Caravan II, a utility derivative of Cessna's 400-series turbine twin, which is no longer in production in the USA. The French company is likely to restart licence production of the Cessna 172 and 182 piston singles for sale in Europe.
Cessna is scheduled to deliver the first 172 from its new single-engine assembly line in December, and plans to build 1,000 piston singles in 1997 and 2,000 in 1998.
Source: Flight International
