Cessna Skycatcher Flight Trial

[mcwest12]

as a new pilot i have an opportunity to learn in this or an older 172 skyhawk. Advice??

[ethanissocool]

Are there any other airplane supliers?

[emforty2]

so its ok for GM and Ford and Chrysler to have their cars made in china and import them in the USA and sell them for the same price as if they were made in USA

if USA don't manufacture its economy will go down why do you think china is now no#2 economy in the world replacing japan because THEY MANUFACTURE !

[ryan0157]

two things

1 i saw this aircraft flying over my house on approach to tampa exe

2 my friend got th fly this aircraft just yesterday

[ad356]

at 100 grand a pop, these things are going to cost $120+/hour. not worth the money or waste of time. you can rent a 152 for 70 bucks/hour and pay for the instructor(typically $40/hour) and get a private license for less than the price of just renting the "skycatcher". money is better spent the private certificate. it's a real pilots license without the limitations of the light sport certificate.

[sphyratiburo]

Its a shame people dont like it just because some parts are built in china, but i bet that if you can fly for free in one of these, you take it with no hesitation..

BTW airbus made their airplanes in China and im pretty sure that Boeing gets parts from there also [im not china citizen or something relative to china]..

[N149GR]

@sphyratiburo Hi 5! 

[puca48]

The Unions are not screwing this country. The big fat cats that send our jobs to China, Mexico and other countries where workers make penies a day are screwing this country.

Thanks to Unions we have child labor laws, 40 hour weeks, vacations, medical coverage, etc. and the largest middle class in the world. People are unenployed because their jobs are going overseas. It is so trendy now to blame the Unions...but we have a lot to thank them for.

[microtexas]

@puca48

This is all about a love for aviation. Why not stay on topic? Thanks.

[N149GR]

@puca48, get real. Who is building wealth for everyone. Unions or business people whom you call fat cats? To find the answer, proceed by elimination and then hopefully you will understand those who put everything on the line when they start a business. They give first,,,,,

[DAL3294]

Dont worry, the Piper LSA is made here in the USA :)

[puca48]

The economy is going down the tubes and people in this coun try can't find jobs and Cessna, CESSNA!!! like any of the other big manufaturers in our country doesn't give a hoot. Why the #$%^& couldn't they build the wings in the US?????????

Cheats and hypocreates....

[N149GR]

@puca48 the story is written black on white paper. Unions and unions workers have alienated business owners. I own a business and I understand your frustration, Just stop giving your money to whom is screwing the US economy, the UNIONS.

That is why business do business with people who don't steal. It is time US starts to behave. By the way I own three aircrafts and I am buying a 162.

[AmericanGi370]

@N149GR Thanks! Finally someone who gets it! Unions in the US are filled with Socialists, hence thats why we are becoming more and more socialist by the day. My mom cant even get to the doctors for a check up untill Feb 2011 because of Massachusetts new "Socialized Medicine". Lets keep our Workers Unions without becoming the Soviet Union.

[ad356]

problem with this aircraft. made in china. i would rather stick with the good old 152, at least it was made here. to many Chinese made products these days. move production to the usa. if they didnt have production capacity, build a new plant here in the US.

[N149GR]

@ad356 You have the best idea I ever came to read lately asking to built plant in the US. Only one problem, Unions due, Free Healthcare, Lawyers fees etc... are in the way, they increase costs. I own a business and know much better than the "academics". I strongly suggest you keep your 152 running well because at the salary you probably make you will never be able to afford any aircraft made in USA. Safe flying.

[ad356]

@N149GR

cant afford to own an aircraft. im currently taking flight lessons and i rent a 152. i love the 152, not terrible fast or powerful, but what a wonderful aircraft the 152 is. my instructor and i have frequently talked about the new light sport category and the skycatcher. the skycatcher is too expensive to buy or rent for light sport. if light sport is what you desire, a piper cub or aeronca champ is a much more affordable choice.

[N149GR]

@ad356 Agree with your comments on the 152, I am a new pilot, learned with a 172 and G-1000 and now own a new T182T. However sport pilot is the future to start flying (half the cost of private) and when the 152 go on dinosaur alley, then the 162 will be king. Find one to fly, you will love it.

[ad356]

when using a skycatcher, getting a light sport is no cheaper if not more expensive than getting your private with a 152. the 152 is not going away anytime soon. there are too many of them around for them to just disappear. people still fly j3 cubs and champs from the 1940's. my flight instructor feels that cessna may eventually re-release the 152(with a glass cockpit) just like they did the 172. the 152 can train you for private and i believe the skycatcher can only train for light sport.

[N149GR]

@ad356 the 162 will get you sport and private license as well. Getting Cessna to get the 152 back to production is wishful as they will not manufacture two aircrafts which would compete against each other. Flying an "old" aircraft is fine as long as maintenance is done by the book. The last three years since I became pilot I flew 1140 hours and have seen many cowboys in the sky flying planes with no radion, no transponder and now people wonder about the mid-air collisions. Safety is worth $.

[Ryanpwnzall]

this plane is awesome. i flew it 2 weeks ago.

[xingfenzhen]

I find it interesting that Cessna choose Shenyang to do it. All of their previous experience is with military jet and extremely busy in that field. How priority will they give to this project when these planes cost only 100k a pop and 400 per year (and only get a small portion of the profit) while a military bird cost 40+ million each.

[JflyG]

wings built in china? me no likey.. nothing against china, i work at panda express lol..

[chexmixBMX101]

panda win!

[kabatekdotcom]

I want I want

[hubbardr1]

Low volume during narration.

[grison007]

I would also prefere a Madi in USA Cessna,, But folk's we are the Walmart generation !

Did you think your Garmin GPS is made in USA ?

[N21X]

Didn't they have some strange spin issues that they couldn't get out of atone time?

Looks like a fun aircraft.

[sgabriel]

That was apparently fixed with the little fin below the fuselage on the tail..

[N21X]

Ah! Thanks.

[TonyAirlines]

Yeah, 2 crashed during testing. Both were in a spin.

[N21X]

Holy cow. I don't think I could ever be a test pilot.

[TonyAirlines]

Don't worry, both pilots escaped by parachute.

[ralphwishart]

Nice aircraft indeed, the only thing that would make me think twice before buying it it the fact that Cessna layed off thousands of people in the US while the Sky catcher is being produced in China. Now I know the companies need to do whatever it takes to stay competitive and I don't blame them, however I would prefer to lay my money on a american made Aircraft.

[Free07Style]

I disagree with you... They had to decrease their cost structure in order to become more competitive. The entry in the LSA market was (too) late and there is a lot of competition out there. Developing in the US and producing (partially) in low cost countries increases the market share and the overall volume, because those planes become affordable. This give higher sales and better margin - and this allows more investment into innovations.

[Free07Style]

Your argument would also prevent Europeans and other nationality from buying Cessna, which is not what you want. Nationalisme and protectionisme don't work - it's all about being faster, more innivative and a better price/performance ration. There is a bit of premium in the price for the good brand and this is important, but not enought... Greetings from Europe

[ralphwishart]

Well, saving in one buy is not as important as keeping jobs. Regarding Europe, you guys are in graver danger then us. I know of a grocery store in Sweden who buy fish from Norway and ship all the way to China for packaging and back just to avoid taxes and high salaries. That just doesn't seem right does it?

[buffey]

Amen to that thought, ralph

[bluedog1976]

I can understand where you are coming from friend. And we are told to accept this "globalization" with open arms. Bit hard to take a little good with all the bad that is going on at the moment.

[JohnF30Music]

@ralphwishart i'm pretty sure there's more expensive aircraft made in america, if you're willing to pay more just to keep money in the US

[ralphwishart]

@JohnF30Music

Well, if we keep buying stuff for less than what we are willing to work for, soon enough nothing will be made here and I´ll be out of work. it just doesn't strike me as a good deal in way. So, to answer your question, yes, I,d pay a little more for an american made aircraft.

[supersonic833]

@ralphwishart then get educated and start your own company, since you claim employees are getting cheaper and cheaper. see how economics work? they're dynamic. supply and demand balance themselves.

[RCFlyer528]

if i was offered any aircraft in the world, and Imean ANY, I would take a skycatcher without hesitaton. Great video guys.

[EXAir113]

Doesn't work after 1:38 for me.

[XaircraftX]

Very nice aircraft!