Aviation News
Cessna Skycatcher Wins AIAA General Aviation Award WICHITA, Kan., June 16, 2010 - The Model 162 Skycatcher produced by Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, has been named winner of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Piper General Aviation Award for 2010.
The award is made annually to a company or product judged to have made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of general aviation. The Skycatcher design team will be officially recognized at the 10th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations (ATIO) Conference, September 13-15, in Houston, Texas.
The Skycatcher is Cessna’s entry in the new light sport aircraft category. The 162 achieved required ASTM compliance in late 2009, and the first aircraft was delivered in December. Cessna has more than 1,000 orders for the entry level aircraft (base price is $112,500).
“This recognition for the Cessna design team is well-deserved and makes the hard work worthwhile,” said David Brant, senior vice president, Engineering. “An award from AIAA is like winning an Oscar since it comes from fellow aerospace engineering professionals.”
AIAA presents the Piper General Aviation Award for outstanding contributions leading to the advancement of general aviation. The award honors William T. Piper, Sr., who was founder and first president of Piper Aircraft Corporation 1929-1970.
The first recipient of the Piper General Aviation Award in 1989 was Fred Weick of the Piper Aircraft Company. Other aviation innovators have been recognized for significant contributions to general aviation and include James K. Coyne President of the National Air Transportation Association, Raspet Flight Research Laboratory at Mississippi State University, and Sam B. Williams of Williams International.
AIAA is the world’s largest technical society dedicated to the global aerospace profession. With more than 35,000 individual members worldwide, and 90 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit www.aiaa.org.
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