CESSNA 162 SKYCATCHER

LIVELY PERFORMANCE—WHEN YOU KNOW ITS LIMITATIONS

- JASON MCDOWELL

WHEN you venture into the world of airplane ownership and evaluate different aircraft models for purchase, it quickly becomes clear that each offers various combinations of strengths and weaknesses. Some have outstanding payload at the expense of increased fuel burn. Some are capable of accessing very short runways at the expense of cruise speed. But very few offer the unique blend of qualities of the Cessna Skycatcher.

For the price of limited useful load and expensive, difficult-to-find replacement parts, the Skycatcher provides an airframe and engine that are less than 10 years old with reasonably sporty performance and modern avionics. Here, we explore these trade-offs and evaluate the ownership experience.

MODEL HISTORY

The Skycatcher story is an interesting footnote in general aviation history. Introduced in 2007 as a modern, low-cost airplane for training and personal use that adhered to the then-new light-sport aircraft category, it attracted more than 1,000 orders before the first delivery took place in 2009.

With an ever-aging fleet of 150s and 152s, private individuals and flight schools alike were attracted to the concept of an updated two-seat Cessna with more cabin space, modernized avionics, proven product support and a target price of less than $100,000.

At that time, the market appeared to be ripe for such an aircraft, and the 162 appeared to be poised to fill the void perfectly. And because it was certified as an LSA, it could be flown by sport pilots without a medical certificate. But for a number of reasons, it is considered to have been a failure in the general aviation marketplace.