CESSNA NGP: Next-Generation Cessna - FEATURED AIRCRAFT
February 2007
Category: GA Buyer Europe Magazine
Author: GA News by Tim Kern
- Cessna Scores Recent 172 Sales in Europe
The Cessna NGP (Next Generation Piston) airplane made a sensational fly-by at Oshkosh in July of 2006, just as the company was unveiling its LSA (Light Sport Aircraft). Though it didn’t stop at Oshkosh, a few of us managed to snap photos of the elusive proof-of-concept machine. We have gotten a few details since, and it turns out that it’s not “an airplane,” but a public market-survey concept vehicle, for what may become an entire family of Cessna airplanes.
Tom Aniello, Cessna’s Vice President of Marketing, noted in an exclusive interview in November that, “Over the past 5-10 years, it's obvious that new designs have been bringing new people into the market. We certainly need to be competitive in avionics, materials, propulsion… We want to provide a continuous line of aircraft to allow people to stay in the Cessna line, from training all the way into a Citation. The single-engine piston is the first step. We want to make it easy for our customers to grow without leaving the Cessna family.”
“….We want to make it easy for our customers to grow without leaving the Cessna family.” Tom Aniellio Cessna’s Vice President of Marketing.
“Whether they're buying an NGP or a Citation X -- it's very difficult and expensive to convert a customer from one brand to another. It is a key part of our marketing philosophy to make that transition as easy as possible. And, that includes common avionics, systems, handling qualities, training, and balanced performance characteristics.”
That’s why Cessna is looking to have an allnew low-to-mid market airplane. What can we expect, as the design coalesces? Will we see the “Cirrus-killer,” or a more-specialized “Columbia-killer,” perhaps? Aniello explained that the NGP will be all-modern, but traditional in its performance and handling. “To build an aircraft that has a single performance parameter that greatly exceeds the norm, you have to make significant tradeoffs.” For instance, to go fast, you need to weigh “the corresponding tradeoffs of increased landing speeds and distances.” He added, “That doesn't necessarily go along with our philosophy of building balanced-performance aircraft.”
Will the NGP be all-composite, or perhaps some marriage of composite fuselage and metal wing, as is seen from the little Liberty to the new HondaJet? Aniello offered, “We're looking at composites -- in fact, the NGP that you saw at OSH was all-composite; but that doesn't necessarily mean that the final airplane will be. What we have found in customer research is that the materials are not the customer's main concern. They’re more interested in what benefits the materials bring them in terms of speed, range, maintainability, and economics. Our ultimate decision on what materials the NGP will be manufactured from will be made after evaluating these factors, as well as manufacturability and cost.”
The Lycoming 580-powered proof-of-concept example overflying Oshkosh (and displayed as a stylized cowl and passenger door mockup at the AOPA convention in October) does not represent a single vehicle. As the VP said, “We're looking at no fewer than 4 seats, and possibly up to 6 seats in the NGP family of airplanes.” A few things are decided, however. The NGP airplane( s) will not be pressurized. Fixed gear, nearly essential in today’s insurance environment, will be another hallmark.
But Aniello is leaving a number of doors open to the future: “The NGP proof-of-concept aircraft that we flew at Oshkosh does not represent any single product. We’re testing a number of things in the aircraft which might show up on the family of aircraft we are designing.”
OTHER CESSNA PISTON NEWS
Cessna Scores Recent 172 Sales in Europe
Four European flight schools are upgrading their aircraft fleets with new Cessna 172 Skyhawks. The Romanian Aviation Academy in Bucharest added four Cessna 172 Skyhawks to their existing Skyhawk fleet of four aircraft;
Aeroclub Milano in Italy, which already owns and operates two 172s, ordered two additional G1000 equipped 172s; Euro Flyers in Spain is replacing 14 aircraft used for initial and instrument training with new Skyhawks. The first two aircraft will arrive by year end while the additional 12 are being delivered in 2007; and VHM Flight School in Germany has added two G1000 equipped Skyhawks to begin replacing their existing fleet. VHM plans to purchase another four aircraft.
“This proves, once again, the Cessna 172 is the training aircraft of choice,” European Regional Sales Manager Pana Poulios said. “The Skyhawk combines safe and economical operation with the best avionics on the market. It is equipped with the new Garmin G1000 glass cockpit, which increases the pilot’s situational awareness. The advanced technology and interface of the G1000 helps ease the transition for those who will go on to fly commercial jets, private jets or military aircraft, making 172s the ideal airplanes for flight schools around the world.”
O More information visit - www.cessna.com
The Cessna NGP (Next Generation Piston) airplane made a sensational fly-by at Oshkosh in July of 2006, just as the company was unveiling its LSA (Light Sport Aircraft). Though it didn’t stop at Oshkosh, a few of us managed to snap photos of the elusive proof-of-concept machine. We have gotten a few details since, and it turns out that it’s not “an airplane,” but a public market-survey concept vehicle, for what may become an entire family of Cessna airplanes.
Tom Aniello, Cessna’s Vice President of Marketing, noted in an exclusive interview in November that, “Over the past 5-10 years, it's obvious that new designs have been bringing new people into the market. We certainly need to be competitive in avionics, materials, propulsion… We want to provide a continuous line of aircraft to allow people to stay in the Cessna line, from training all the way into a Citation. The single-engine piston is the first step. We want to make it easy for our customers to grow without leaving the Cessna family.”
“….We want to make it easy for our customers to grow without leaving the Cessna family.” Tom Aniellio Cessna’s Vice President of Marketing.
“Whether they're buying an NGP or a Citation X -- it's very difficult and expensive to convert a customer from one brand to another. It is a key part of our marketing philosophy to make that transition as easy as possible. And, that includes common avionics, systems, handling qualities, training, and balanced performance characteristics.”
That’s why Cessna is looking to have an allnew low-to-mid market airplane. What can we expect, as the design coalesces? Will we see the “Cirrus-killer,” or a more-specialized “Columbia-killer,” perhaps? Aniello explained that the NGP will be all-modern, but traditional in its performance and handling. “To build an aircraft that has a single performance parameter that greatly exceeds the norm, you have to make significant tradeoffs.” For instance, to go fast, you need to weigh “the corresponding tradeoffs of increased landing speeds and distances.” He added, “That doesn't necessarily go along with our philosophy of building balanced-performance aircraft.”
Will the NGP be all-composite, or perhaps some marriage of composite fuselage and metal wing, as is seen from the little Liberty to the new HondaJet? Aniello offered, “We're looking at composites -- in fact, the NGP that you saw at OSH was all-composite; but that doesn't necessarily mean that the final airplane will be. What we have found in customer research is that the materials are not the customer's main concern. They’re more interested in what benefits the materials bring them in terms of speed, range, maintainability, and economics. Our ultimate decision on what materials the NGP will be manufactured from will be made after evaluating these factors, as well as manufacturability and cost.”
The Lycoming 580-powered proof-of-concept example overflying Oshkosh (and displayed as a stylized cowl and passenger door mockup at the AOPA convention in October) does not represent a single vehicle. As the VP said, “We're looking at no fewer than 4 seats, and possibly up to 6 seats in the NGP family of airplanes.” A few things are decided, however. The NGP airplane( s) will not be pressurized. Fixed gear, nearly essential in today’s insurance environment, will be another hallmark.
But Aniello is leaving a number of doors open to the future: “The NGP proof-of-concept aircraft that we flew at Oshkosh does not represent any single product. We’re testing a number of things in the aircraft which might show up on the family of aircraft we are designing.”
OTHER CESSNA PISTON NEWS
Cessna Scores Recent 172 Sales in Europe
Four European flight schools are upgrading their aircraft fleets with new Cessna 172 Skyhawks. The Romanian Aviation Academy in Bucharest added four Cessna 172 Skyhawks to their existing Skyhawk fleet of four aircraft;
Aeroclub Milano in Italy, which already owns and operates two 172s, ordered two additional G1000 equipped 172s; Euro Flyers in Spain is replacing 14 aircraft used for initial and instrument training with new Skyhawks. The first two aircraft will arrive by year end while the additional 12 are being delivered in 2007; and VHM Flight School in Germany has added two G1000 equipped Skyhawks to begin replacing their existing fleet. VHM plans to purchase another four aircraft.
“This proves, once again, the Cessna 172 is the training aircraft of choice,” European Regional Sales Manager Pana Poulios said. “The Skyhawk combines safe and economical operation with the best avionics on the market. It is equipped with the new Garmin G1000 glass cockpit, which increases the pilot’s situational awareness. The advanced technology and interface of the G1000 helps ease the transition for those who will go on to fly commercial jets, private jets or military aircraft, making 172s the ideal airplanes for flight schools around the world.”
O More information visit - www.cessna.com
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