New Cessna

I talked to someone who has seen a drawing of the new Cessna line of
models. It will be high wing and it is planned to have four doors. Up
to six seats should be possible. The cabin width will be 54". The
interior will be more "automotive" style with G1000 avionics. It will
be as fast as the Cirrus airplanes. The engine hasn't been decided,
but apparently Cessna is considering a Diesel engine as an option. A
turbo charged engine will be an option for sure. Plastic or metal
hasn't been decided either; however, Cessna's long term aluminum
supply contract will end in 2007.

Gerd

Interesting. I read a while back that SMA or Thielert was talking to "a
major OEM airframe mfr" about providing engines for future aircraft.

The four-door idea is curious though, I don't recall Cessna ever doing
that before in a single.

Plastic or metal hasn't been decided either; however, Cessna's long term aluminum
supply contract will end in 2007.

Is this the same company (Alcoa?) that sold them bad stock that ended
up on the '97 model year 172/182? I can't imagine (although I'd love to
see it) them building a composite aircraft because of the high
development cost involved(?)

It will be as fast as the Cirrus airplanes. The engine hasn't been decided

Seems that maybe they ARE thinking glass? To go that fast with a diesel
would require pretty high HP and a slick airframe IMO. It would be neat
to see Cessna break the mold in a big way and come out with something
really spectacular.

wrote:

Seems that maybe they ARE thinking glass? To go that fast with a diesel
would require pretty high HP and a slick airframe IMO. It would be neat
to see Cessna break the mold in a big way and come out with something
really spectacular.


You don't need glass to make a slick airframe.

Matt

Matt Whiting wrote:

You don't need glass to make a slick airframe.

No, but the slickest ones use compound curves, which are much more easily made
using composites.

George Patterson
Drink is the curse of the land. It makes you quarrel with your neighbor.
It makes you shoot at your landlord. And it makes you miss him.

"George Patterson" wrote in message
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Matt Whiting wrote:

You don't need glass to make a slick airframe.

No, but the slickest ones use compound curves, which are much more easily
made
using composites.

Slickest and fastest are made of metal.

George Patterson
Drink is the curse of the land. It makes you quarrel with your
neighbor.
It makes you shoot at your landlord. And it makes you miss him.

George Patterson wrote:
Matt Whiting wrote:

You don't need glass to make a slick airframe.


No, but the slickest ones use compound curves, which are much more
easily made using composites.

Only if you are talking making them by hand or with low volume
production equipment. If hydroforming or stretch forming equipment is
used, compound curves in metal are much faster to make than in composite
materials. It is hard to be essentially a pressing/stamping process for
speed, once you make the capital investment required to do this.
Detroit makes all sorts of compound curves in metal at costs much less
than for composites. Ask GM which is cheaper to produce, the metal body
for a large sedan or the fiberglass body of the Vette.


Matt

Matt Whiting wrote:
George Patterson wrote:

Matt Whiting wrote:

You don't need glass to make a slick airframe.

No, but the slickest ones use compound curves, which are much more
easily made using composites.

Only if you are talking making them by hand or with low volume
production equipment.

But that's what you're doing if you're building light aircraft.

George Patterson
Drink is the curse of the land. It makes you quarrel with your neighbor.
It makes you shoot at your landlord. And it makes you miss him.

wrote:

It will be as fast as the Cirrus airplanes. The engine hasn't been decided


Seems that maybe they ARE thinking glass? To go that fast with a diesel
would require pretty high HP and a slick airframe IMO.


The 210 already goes as fast as a Cirrus.

The 210 already goes as fast as a Cirrus

It certainly does. My point was that kind of speed requires HP (and a
clean airframe) and IIRC the highest power aviation diesel now is the
230hp SMA. I'm not sure if that's enough for a 180kt cruise. I'd love
to see an updated Cardinal with flush-riveted skin and the latest aero
tweaks, if that's what Cessna has in mind.

wrote:

The 210 already goes as fast as a Cirrus


It certainly does. My point was that kind of speed requires HP (and a
clean airframe) and IIRC the highest power aviation diesel now is the
230hp SMA. I'm not sure if that's enough for a 180kt cruise. I'd love
to see an updated Cardinal with flush-riveted skin and the latest aero
tweaks, if that's what Cessna has in mind.


Yes, a metal version of this airplane would be nearly ideal. :-)

Matt