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THE WORLD’S MOST WIDELY READ MAGAZINE / DECEMBER 2009

LEARN FOR LESS The New Cessna 162 SkyCatcher >>> A Great Value for Beginners

63013 THE NEW CLASSROOM IN THE SKY Cessna’s 162 SkyCatcher is a totally modern flight trainer at a very reasonable price.

BY J. MAC M c CLELLAN / PHOTOS COURTESY OF CESSNA

believe all of us would declare not the least of which is that, with its big certification process. To make an Cessna’s new 162 SkyCatcher light gull-wing doors, aft strut and extra-wide airplane that light that is still sturdy sport airplane (LSA) to be a suc- cabin, I sit in it instead of wear it. enough to stand up to the rigors of I cess if it flew about as well as the The big challenge for any company student pilot landings is a tall order. legendary 150/152 series of two-seat making an LSA is to stay under the To put the challenge in perspective, trainers. I’m happy to say the 162 flies as 1,320 maximum gross weight limit. consider that the two- well as, and in some respects better than, That weight cap is part of the LSA seat trainer has a maximum takeoff the 150/152 and also has a number of concept of reducing complexity and weight of 1,600 pounds. The more advantages that make it a better trainer, risk in exchange for simplifying the sophisticated 152 weighs in at 1,675

FLYINGMAG.COM / DECEMBER 2009 DECEMBER 2009 / FLYINGMAG.COM maximum. Even the 140 taildragger the 150’s loading is 10 and the 152’s is that in late 1945 launched Cessna’s 10.5. With its higher wing loading, the Light Sport Aircraft Rules dominance of flight training weighs 162 has a demonstrated crosswind of The primary limitations 1,450 pounds. 12 knots. But higher wing loading, in in the LSA rules are: Another LSA restriction intended to general, increases stall speed. So Cessna reduce risk in the event of a forced land- engineers had to make a smaller wing > Single engine only ing is a maximum stall speed, flaps up, of for the SkyCatcher that would stall at a > Maximum takeoff weight 45 knots. The 150/152 series stops fly- lower airspeed despite a higher loading. 1,320 pounds (1,420 pounds ing at 48 knots with the flaps up, but the It seems like magic was required, but in for a floatplane) SkyCatcher doesn’t stall clean until 44 reality what it took was gobs of experi- > Maximum stall speed (flaps up) knots. Flaps down, the 162 lets go at 39 ence to solve the problem. 45 knots knots compared with 42 and 43 knots You may recall that the original proof respectively for the 150/152. of concept SkyCatcher had an unusual > Maximum cruise speed 120 knots at The easiest way to meet the stall wing that tapered gull fashion at the roots. sea level and standard temperature restrictions is to use a relatively large That design appeared to both reduce > Minimum useful load 380 pounds wing so that each square foot of wing stall speed and be easy to build. But test- plus half the horsepower (430 pounds area is lifting only a few pounds. But ing showed it didn’t deliver. So Cessna for the 162) lightly loaded wings can be hard to aeronautical engineers went back to the handle in gusty conditions because computer and came up with a totally new each puff tosses the airplane back into and custom that did the job. There was never serious consider- the air. A successful trainer needs to The original SkyCatcher had a Rotax ation of any basic design other than fly as much as possible, not sit around engine, but Cessna flight school opera- a high strut-braced wing. After all, waiting for calm conditions, so Cessna tors shot that idea down. The Rotax has Cessna has built more than 100,000 did not go down the big-wing-area been in service for years, but successful high wing piston singles, so the design path with the 162. flight schools demand the utmost in clearly works. But subtle changes in The SkyCatcher has only 120 square predictability of cost of maintenance the layout make the SkyCatcher a su- feet of wing area compared with 160 in a trainer. Everybody was comfort- perior airplane in many ways. for the 150/152. That means the wing able with the four-cylinder Continental A key factor is the sweep of the loading — gross weight divided by engine, which is among the most pro- wing struts that places them aft of the wing area — puts 11 pounds on each duced aircraft powerplants in history, so cabin doors, instead of ahead of the square foot of wing in the 162 while the O-200D replaced the Rotax. door frame as in other Cessna singles. The aft strut location frees up the >>> The swept-back wing strut moves the strut and main landing gear leg of the 162 fuselage space to use big top-hinged aft so there is room for a gull wing door that lifts up for easy entry. The ventral fin under gull wing doors instead of the standard the tail was added after the original design to improve recovery from aggravated stalls. forward hinged doors. With the gull

FLYINGMAG.COM / DECEMBER 2009 Cessna 162 SkyCatcher The airplane flown for this report was the first production-conforming airplane. It was equipped with the optional second Garmin G300 dis- play, wheel pants and trim stripe. All information here is from the airplane manual and reflects a standard- configuration airplane operating under standard day conditions at sea level unless noted. cessna.com

Standard price (2009): $111,500 Seats: 2 Engine: Continental O-200D, 100 hp TBO: 2,000 hrs Cabin width: 44.25 in Overall height: 8.3 ft Overall length: 22.8 ft Wingspan: 30 ft Wing area: 120 sq ft Wing aspect ratio: 7.5 Max takeoff weight: 1,320 lbs Empty weight: 830 lbs Useful load: 490 lbs wing door raised, it’s easy to slide into to get the view they want over the Max usable fuel: 138 lbs (23 gal) the seat without interference from the panel, but the pedal adjustment range strut or the main landing gear leg. seemed sufficient to suit all heights of Payload max fuel: 352 lbs Cessna made the 162 cabin 44.25 pilots. I’m 6 feet 2 inches and was very Wing loading: 11 lbs/sq ft inches wide compared with 39.75 for pleased with the seat position because Power loading: 13.2 lbs/hp the 150/152. That 4.5 inches of added it is low enough that I can look out the Max climb rate: 890 fpm width might not sound like much, but side without ducking my head down. Service ceiling: 15,500 ft believe me, it makes all the difference In most other Cessna singles my head is Max speed: 118 kts in the world. My first airplane was a up between the wing roots and I need Max cruise at 6,000 ft: 112 kts with a cabin width essen- to lower it to see directly to the side. Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle: 1,250 ft tially the same as the 150/152. Forty The SkyCatcher instrument panel Landing over 50 ft obstacle: 1,040 ft years ago that was tight, but OK. And is as modern as any new airplane with it may still be OK for 20-year-olds, but flat-glass display standard. There are Stall speed flaps up: 44 kts I’m not going to get in a cabin of that no conventional gauges or instruments, Stall speed flaps down: 39 kts size with any of my peers and get the and all flight and engine information extension limits: 100, 85 doors closed. In the 162 Cessna, test is presented on the Garmin G300 and 70 kts pilot Dale Bleakney and I had plenty of display. A single display is standard Vne/Vno: 148/124 kts room to move elbows, knees and shoul- with flight, navigation and engine ders without the slightest restriction. instruments combined. I think most To further improve the ergonom- 162 owners will opt for the second Cessna kept the SkyCatcher systems ics of the 162 cabin, Cessna has fixed display, which places primary flight very simple and basic. For example, the seats in position and added fore instruments in front of the pilot and there is no selector, only a and aft adjustment of the rudder ped- engine, navigation and other system knob to pull to turn all fuel off. In als. Adjustable pedals are the norm in information on an identical display operation, fuel is continuously fed by larger airplanes but the first I know of in the center of the cockpit. If either gravity from both tanks. And the fuel in a light two-seater. The fixed seats are display were to fail, the remaining one gauges are as foolproof as I can imag- lighter, and they are larger than possible combines all essential data much like ine. A transparent tube mounted in if they had to move fore and aft. Short- the single display format. the wing root shows the avgas level in er pilots might need to sit on a cushion In contrast to the advanced , each tank. A ball floats in the fluid to

DECEMBER 2009 / FLYINGMAG.COM clearly show the level. And because the play without being a “side stick.” The but you do need to use your feet a lit- SkyCatcher sits nose-up on its landing only unusual sensation is the tendency tle to pick up a wing because the angle gear, there are two marks to show fuel to try to rock the stick grip to mimic of attack and deck angle are much level, one to use while on the ground the motion of a conventional floor- higher. Still, it is totally controllable and another when the airplane is in lev- mounted stick. But after a very few without releasing back pressure. There el flight. If you refuse to believe these moments the unique SkyCatcher stick is a little buffet, and then a break to direct reading gauges, well, don’t fly the feels perfectly natural. identify the stall, but nothing is going 162 because it is gravity that fills the It’s been quite a long time since I to happen if a student reacts incor- gauges and the same gravity is the only flew a light trainer, and I asked Dale rectly. There is the “reed” type of stall source to move the fuel to the engine. for a Vr (rotation) speed. He told me warning horn that other light Cessnas Gravity has a pretty good track record. to forget about takeoff speed and just use, but every pilot will want to ex- The Continental engine started easily hold some back pressure on the stick plore beyond the audible warning. without a manual primer system, which and the airplane would fly when it’s Dale had to show me this one, but might be available as an option. A few ready. And he was right. With just a with power on, full aft stick and stall- pumps of the throttle did the priming slight back pressure on the stick the ing, it was easy to fly straight and level job. The nosewheel is the castering type, SkyCatcher flew itself off the runway with full aileron in either direction. and you use differential brakes for taxi. and into an impressive climb with no I could also turn using the rudder I found it easy to control direction with perceptible control input from me. We with aileron opposite the turn. Cross- very little braking. A small blast of power were near maximum takeoff weight controlled stalls can lead to some very over the rudder is often enough to make and it was a warm day, but the 162 unusual attitudes in most airplanes, so all but the sharpest taxi turns. climbed at 800 fpm, which I sure don’t I would not have tried it without his One of the biggest cockpit differenc- remember from other two-seat trainers. demonstration and coaching. But he’s es in the 162 is the flight control stick. The air was a little choppy and I right. There is nothing to worry about. I guess we call it a stick, but it is unlike needed to use all of the controls to Of course, an extremely important any other. In fact, a patent is pending. nail the target altitude and heading. measure for any airplane is how easy The mechanism for the stick system is Garmin uses an electronic display of it is to land, particularly for a basic mounted under the instrument panel, the traditional “ball” to show slips careful design of control surfaces, hinge >>> The unique flight control stick system in the 162 places the grip directly ahead of trainer. The SkyCatcher passes that and a single grip falls naturally to hand or skids instead of the little split moments and gearing of the control each pilot, but the entire mechanism is mounted under the instrument panel so nothing test with ease. My first touchdown was directly in front of you. You move the “doghouse” that is common on most system, Cessna achieved a good har- extends to the floor. The prototype has the optional second Garmin flat-glass MFD. darn near perfect, and I give all credit stick left and right for aileron, and fore electronic flight displays in larger mony of forces with roll being lighter to the airplane. The sight picture over and aft for elevator control. But the airplanes. I like the ball presentation than pitch and rudder requiring more usual feature in a light airplane. I am so break by simply releasing a little back the glareshield is natural, and it’s easy to stick remains level instead of tilting as because, as in any light airplane, you force than elevator. And the stick force accustomed to flying with electric trim pressure on the stick. But if you don’t gauge your attitude as the runway comes it would if the fulcrum were on the need to use your feet to counteract ad- gradients are very positive even at low that having a switch under my thumb recover, nothing happens. The 162 bobs up. On another approach, I purposely floor as with a normal stick. verse yaw and the effects of turbulence. airspeeds. A positive stick force gradient to change trim is perfectly natural, but up and down stalling and recovering on carried 25 knots of extra speed and The SkyCatcher stick has the ad- With the slip-skid ball right under the means you must pull or push harder it will be a small change for many. The its own with the stick held full aft. It was then wracked the 162 into a fully cross- vantage of remaining clear above your attitude indicator, you can instantly see the more the airspeed deviates from the control forces are light enough that there easy to make standard rate turns in either controlled slip on short final to lose the knees no matter how you position it, what you need to do with the rudder trimmed condition. In a very steeply is no need for a dual channel or moni- direction with the stick full aft and the speed and altitude. Because the flaps are which is really important when getting pedals. Step on the ball, remember? banked turn it takes a very solid pull to tored trim system because a fully out-of- airplane flying in and out of a stall. the simple hinged type, not the slotted in or out of the cabin. Its position also The control feel of the SkyCatcher hold altitude, and that’s exactly what trim condition easily meets maximum Power-on stalls are nearly as tame, style of other Cessnas, there is no possible frees up panel space and provides an is very much like that of a 152. Stick you want for good flying qualities. stick force requirements. unobstructed view of the Garmin dis- force is light but not touchy. Through The 162 has electric trim only, an un- The sound and vibration levels in the 162 are very good. Dale and I used noise canceling headsets, and the intercom worked well, but I did listen with an knobs and buttons located on the unit Garmin G300 Flat Glass ear uncovered and the noise level is low. Garmin designed the G300 system to itself. The operating system is very much meet the requirements of the SkyCatcher. like Garmin’s hugely successful handheld Maximum engine rpm is 2800, but even The goals were obviously light weight 396/496 GPS units. The moving map near that power setting the vibration and compact size, but also a price that display is also very much like the view on seemed better than what I remember reduced the cost of flying. the handhelds. The complete PFD display from a 152, and one heck of a lot better The G300 is a full primary flight display allows you to fly the 162 under the hood, than in the old 140 taildragger. (PFD) with electronic gyros and air data but the avionics and airplane itself are not We climbed up to 6,500 feet to try computer. It also contains a VFR-only GPS approved for IFR. what every student pilot is going to navigator and a database of airports and Also standard in the 162 is a Garmin spend a lot of time on — stalls and slow the airspace system. All engine and system SL40 com radio that allows you to monitor flight. I can tell you that Cessna has information is also displayed on the G300. a second frequency, a Mode-C transponder done a terrific job with low-speed flying The G300 is controlled with various and an ELT. A TruTrak autopilot is optional. qualities. For power-off stalls you can recover at the pre-stall buffet, or at the

FLYINGMAG.COM / DECEMBER 2009 DECEMBER 2009 / FLYINGMAG.COM interaction between the flaps and tail, so The airplane I flew is the third 162 appealing features of the 162. I think it the slip is easily controllable. The flaps in built and is the one that conforms to just plain looks good and sturdy but still the 162 are smaller and less effective than production standards. The airplane is modern. And the big cabin will be wel- on other Cessnas but they do add a little being built in China and will be disas- come by all. The SkyCatcher can’t do it drag. I tried a power-off approach from sembled and shipped to the United alone, but it has help from an integrated abeam the runway on downwind and States, where it will be put back Cessna Pilot Center training program. pulled on full flaps on final, and then together and test-flown. Yingling Avia- And the airplane demonstrates beyond dumped them all, to make the spot. The tion in Wichita, , will be the a doubt that Cessna is here to stay as a flaps-up landing was probably my best first reassembly center and expects to full-line airplane maker that taught the of the day. have 162s arriving by the end of the world to fly and then had a whole line LSAs are “certified” under rules set year. Options, including wheel pants, of more capable airplanes to carry the by ASTM, an international standards second Garmin display, BRS whole- new pilot wherever he wants to go. The authority. Instead of the FAA examining airplane parachute and basic autopilot, SkyCatcher is the new starting line, and test documentation and flying the air- will be installed at Cessna dealers. it’s a good one. plane as with a normal category airplane, Cessna has more than 1,000 depos- the LSA manufacturer affirms that its ited orders in hand for the 162. The testing has met the ASTM standard. But current base price is $111,500. That the ASTM standards are less detailed compares with the Skyhawk’s base price The Spin Question than for FAA Part 23 normal category of around $265,000 and fully equipped LSA rules require that an airplane airplanes, so Cessna went far and above price of nearly $300,000. Of course, the be spun one turn and then recover before completing another 360-degree turn. Despite that simple rule, Cessna elected to use the FAA Part 23 normal category spin testing, which requires a complete matrix of 300-plus spin entry techniques and CG locations. The 162 behaved well until the last few entries that required full power loaded to full aft CG with the ailerons fully cross-controlled against the rota- tion. Normally the 162 stalls at about an 18- to 20-degree angle of attack (alpha). However, with full power driving the alpha higher, and the sort of falling maneuver the airplane makes enter- ing the cross-controlled spin, test pilot Dale Bleakney told me they measured momentary alpha as high as 40 degrees. After one of those full power cross-con- trolled spin entries, the nose dropped only a little and the rotation rate acceler- ated to more than 270 degrees per second. After several turns, the chase pilot called for Dale to pull the BRS whole-airplane parachute, and he did. some other LSA manufacturers by doing Skyhawk is a more capable airplane, but The airplane was repaired, a ventral a full fatigue test regime on the airframe you can see how the SkyCatcher can fin was added under the tail and the and complete low-speed and stall be- dramatically reduce the cost of flight rudder was extended down to match havior tests when something less would training. There is the obvious savings in the ventral. Cessna also changed the have met the LSA rule. Certainly Cessna capital investment, insurance and main- gearing of the ailerons to reduce ad- wants to make sure it is building the saf- tenance. And the training fuel burn in verse yaw generated in the fully cross- est possible airplane, but it also knows the 162 is around six gallons per hour controlled spin entry. Dale repeated the that it takes extensive testing to deter- compared with 10 in the 172. spin tests and the SkyCatcher recovered mine how well an airplane will hold up You can learn to fly in an old, fully perfectly. In all, Cessna test pilots per- in its primary training mission. Meeting depreciated airplane that may come close formed 531 spins in the 162 with 352 of a set of rules is one thing, but meeting to the operating costs of a SkyCatcher, the spins counting as compliance with the normal category rules. The flight the demands of the flight training mar- but that isn’t the same as learning in a test program included 1,366 stalls. ket can be a very different issue, and it new airplane with a modern glass cock- looks like the SkyCatcher will do both. pit. And reduced cost is only one of the

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