Aircraft

Cessna is offering the Ballistic Recovery Systems whole aircraft parachute system as an option on its new 162 SkyCatcher light sport aircraft, for which it has chalked up more than 850 orders since it was launched at the AirVenture show in Oshkosh in July.

Deliveries of the 600kg (1,320lb) all-metal two-seater are to begin in the second half of 2009, with the first 1,000 aircraft costing $109,500 and subsequent units priced at $111,500. Cessna expects to build to 700 aircraft a year at full rate and is targeting the flight-training market.

The SkyCatcher features an exclusive Garmin glass cockpit - the G300 - and a Teledyne Continental O-200D 100hp (75kW) engine driving a fixed-pitch composite propeller. This gives a cruising speed of 118kt (220km/h) and range of 870km (470nm).