On June 12, 1955 the test pilot cranked over the 145 horsepower Continental O-300 air-cooled six cylinder engine of the prototype Cessna Skyhawk, preflighted, check the control surfaces, and then pointed the nose skyward. Although this high-wing, single-engine piston aircraft would cause a shift in the general aviation arena, the first flight was largely uneventful.
Category Archives: General Aviation
Planes of Fame Air Museum is proud to present Air Show 2015, May 2 & 3: “A Salute to Veterans“. This year’s airshow will feature nearly 50 historic aircraft, performing for your enjoyment as well as a salute to our veterans. We invite you to Airshow 2015 to celebrate the history, contributions, and sacrifices of our veterans.
Performers include U.S.A.F. F-22 Raptor Demo Team and Heritage Flight, Sean D. Tucker-Team Oracle Aerobatics, Canadian Forces CF-18 Hornet Demonstration Team, Sea Fury Aerobatics by Sanders Aeronautics, Clay Lacy’s Learjet Demonstration, Rob Harrison and the Tumbling Bear, Gregory Colyer’s T-33, John Collver’s AT-6 Aerobatics, and over 40 WWII aircraft including B-25, P-47, and P-51s.
Jim Moore has posted over on the AOPA about Sporty’s 172LTE refurbished Cessna program. Sporty’s announced the program back in December (you can read about it HERE). From the article:
Sporty’s refurbished Cessna 172LITE project caught on fast.
A used Skyhawk with an overhauled engine, new interior, and a fresh coat of paint (among other improvements) will rent for $99 an hour at Sporty’s Academy at Clermont County Airport in Batavia, Ohio. The announcement in December got the phone ringing and Charlie Masters’ inbox filling. Masers, vice president of aircraft sales at Eastern Cincinnati Aviation, the Sporty’s fixed-base operation, said a 172LITE currently in the paint shop will be available in mid-February for $132,900, with more to follow.
A Stripped-down Skyhawk designed to offer cheaper training
Jill W. Tallman has posted about Sporty’s new 172LITE program over on the AOPA website. From the article:
A refurbished Cessna 172 that will offer more cost-effective flight training is at the heart of the Cessna 172LITE project, announced Dec. 17 by Sporty’s.
“Sporty’s is acquiring 172s and equipping them with basic flight instruments along with significant interior and exterior enhancements,” according to a press release. The first one is on the line at Sporty’s Flight Academy at Clermont County Airport, Batavia, Ohio. It rents for $99 per hour.
A press release from The International Group of Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) reports that the group had successfully linked a piece of scrap metal discovered on the island of Nikumaroro with Earhart’s plane.
New Research
During Amelia Earhart’s stay in Miami at the beginning of her second world flight attempt, a custom-made, special window on her Lockheed Electra aircraft was removed and replaced with an aluminum patch. The patch was an expedient field modification. Its dimensions, proportions, and pattern of rivets were dictated by the hole to be covered and the structure of the aircraft. The patch was as unique to her particular aircraft as a fingerprint is to an individual. Research has now shown that a section of aircraft aluminum TIGHAR found on Nikumaroro in 1991 matches that fingerprint in many respects. For a detailed study of this important new development see The Window, The Patch, and The Artifact, Research Bulletin #73 on the TIGHAR website.
The strong possibility that Artifact 2-2-V-1 is the “Miami Patch” means that the many fractures, tears, dents and gouges evident on the metal may be important clues to the fate – and resting place – of the aircraft itself. Deciphering those clues will be the next phase in TIGHAR’s analysis of this complex and fascinating artifact. Continue reading