Cessna facts for kids
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Formerly
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Cessna-Roos Aircraft Company (September–October 1927) |
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Fate | Became a brand of Textron Aviation in March 2014 |
| Founded | September 7, 1927 |
| Founders | Clyde Cessna Victor Roos |
| Defunct | March 2014 |
| Headquarters | Wichita, Kansas, United States |
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Key people
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Scott A. Ernest (CEO from May 31, 2011) |
| Products | List of models |
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Number of employees
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8,500 (2013) |
| Parent | Textron Aviation |
| Subsidiaries | McCauley Propeller Systems |
Cessna is a famous American brand that makes airplanes. Since 2014, it has been part of Textron Aviation. Its main office is in Wichita, Kansas.
Cessna started as the Cessna Aircraft Company in 1927. It was known for making small planes with piston engines, as well as business jets. For many years in the 1900s, Cessna was one of the biggest airplane makers in the world. Clyde Cessna and Victor Roos founded the company. Later, it was bought by General Dynamics in 1985, and then by Textron in 1992. In 2014, Cessna became a brand under Textron Aviation, joining other airplane brands like Beechcraft.
Cessna is especially famous for its small, high-wing planes with piston engines. The most popular and well-known is the Cessna 172. More Cessna 172s have been sold than any other airplane in history! Cessna is also known for its Citation family of business jets, which are used by companies and wealthy people.
Contents
History of Cessna Airplanes
How Cessna Started
Clyde Cessna was a farmer in Rago, Kansas. In June 1911, he built his own airplane and flew it. He was the first person to fly a plane between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. Cessna began building planes in Enid, Oklahoma. He often tested his early planes on salt flats. When banks in Enid wouldn't lend him more money, he moved to Wichita.
The Cessna Aircraft Company officially began in 1927. Clyde Cessna partnered with Victor Roos to form the Cessna-Roos Aircraft Company. However, Roos left the company after only one month. His name was soon removed from the company's name.
On October 29, 1929, the same day as the big stock market crash, the Cessna DC-6 airplane received its official approval to fly.
In 1932, the Cessna Aircraft Company had to close because of the Great Depression, a time when many businesses struggled.
But in 1933, the Cessna CR-3 custom racing plane made its first flight. This plane won the 1933 American Air Race in Chicago. It also set a new world speed record, flying at an average of 237 miles per hour (381 km/h).
Clyde Cessna's nephews, Dwane and Dwight Wallace, bought the company from him in 1934. They reopened it and worked hard to make it a global success.
In 1937, Cessna introduced the Cessna C-37. This was Cessna's first seaplane when it was fitted with floats. In 1940, Cessna received its biggest order yet. The U.S. Army ordered 33 specially equipped Cessna T-50s, which were Cessna's first planes with two engines. Later that year, the Royal Canadian Air Force ordered 180 T-50s.
After World War II
After World War II ended, Cessna started making planes for regular people again in 1946. They released the Model 120 and Model 140. These new planes were made entirely of metal and built using special tools, which was a new way of making planes faster.
In 1948, the Model 140 was named the "Outstanding Plane of the Year" by the US Flight Instructors Association.
Cessna's first helicopter, the Cessna CH-1, was approved for flight in 1955.
In 1956, Cessna introduced the Cessna 172. It became the most produced airplane in history. After World War II, Cessna was known as one of the "Big Three" airplane makers, along with Piper and Beechcraft.
In 1959, Cessna bought Aircraft Radio Corporation (ARC), which made aircraft radios. Cessna also bought McCauley Propeller Systems in 1960, a company that made propellers for light planes. McCauley became the world's top maker of propellers for small planes, mostly because they were used on Cessna aircraft.
In 1960, Cessna also partnered with Reims Aviation in France. By 1963, Cessna had produced its 50,000th airplane, which was a Cessna 172.
Cessna's first business jet, the Cessna Citation I, flew for the first time on September 15, 1969.
In 1975, Cessna made its 100,000th single-engine airplane.
In 1985, Cessna was bought by General Dynamics Corporation and became part of that company. Production of the Cessna Caravan began. Then, in 1992, General Dynamics sold Cessna to Textron.
In 2007, Cessna bought the Columbia Aircraft company. Cessna continued to make the Columbia 350 and 400 planes, calling them the Cessna 350 and Cessna 400. However, production of these planes stopped by 2018.
Tough Times and Changes
Cessna faced challenges during the economic slowdown in the late 2000s. The company had to reduce its workforce.
In 2008, Cessna's parent company, Textron, announced that they would make fewer Citation jets. This meant some jobs would be lost. Cessna's CEO, Jack Pelton, said that sales to individual buyers had gone down, but sales to businesses were still strong.
In 2009, Cessna had to lay off many employees across its different plants. They also stopped the program for a new jet called the Cessna Citation Columbus.
Between 2010 and 2011, Cessna closed some of its manufacturing facilities in Georgia. Some of the work was moved to other Cessna plants.
In 2010, Textron, Cessna's parent company, lost money. This was mainly because Cessna's sales were still low. Many Cessna employees were still laid off.
In September 2010, Cessna laid off more employees. The CEO, Jack Pelton, said this was because the economy was still struggling. He noted that while fewer jet orders were being canceled, new orders were not as high as hoped.
In 2011, Jack Pelton retired, and Scott A. Ernest became the new CEO.
Also in 2011, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposed a large fine against Cessna. This was because Cessna had problems with how it made some fiberglass parts in its Mexico factory. The parts were not made correctly, and quality checks did not find the issues. One time, a part of a Cessna 400's wing skin came off during a test flight, but the pilot landed safely.
Since 2012, Cessna has been working on building business jets in China with a partner company. They plan to eventually make all their plane models in China.
In March 2014, Cessna officially stopped being a separate company. It became a brand under Textron Aviation.
Cessna's Marketing Ideas
In the 1950s and 1960s, Cessna used many unique marketing words to make its planes seem special. Other airplane makers and aviation magazines sometimes made fun of these terms. However, Cessna still sold more planes than anyone else during those years.
Cessna plane names usually follow a pattern:
- 100 series: light single-engine planes.
- 200 series: heavier single-engine planes.
- 300 series: light to medium twin-engine planes.
- 400 series: planes with a wider cabin.
- 500 series: jets.
Many Cessna models also have names that start with "C," like Citation or Caravan.
Special Cessna Words
Here are some of the marketing terms Cessna used:
- Para-Lift Flaps – These were large flaps on the wings that helped the plane take off and land. Cessna introduced them in 1952.
- Land-O-Matic – In 1956, Cessna introduced new landing gear on the 172. They called it "Land-O-Matic" to suggest that these planes were super easy to land and take off, almost like driving a car.
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- Omni-Vision – This referred to the rear windows on some Cessna planes, starting in 1962. Cessna wanted pilots to feel like they had better visibility, even though the rear windows didn't always help much and could even slow the plane down a little.
- Cushioned Power – This meant the engine was mounted in a way that reduced vibrations, making the ride smoother.
- Omni-Flash – This was a flashing light on the tail of the plane that could be seen from all directions.
- Open-View – In 1967, Cessna changed the shape of the control wheel (like a steering wheel) to be more like "ram's horns." This was meant to give pilots a better view of the instrument panel.
- Quick-Scan – This was a new way Cessna arranged the instrument panel in the 1960s. They claimed it made it easier and faster for pilots to read the instruments.
- Nav-O-Matic – This was the name for Cessna's autopilot system, suggesting it was simple to use.
- Camber-Lift – Starting in 1972, Cessna added a slightly curved shape to the front edge of its wings. They called this "Camber-Lift" to describe how the wing created lift.
- Stabila-Tip – Cessna often put fuel tanks on the tips of its wings. These "Stabila-Tip" tanks were shaped carefully to help the plane fly smoothly and keep it balanced.
Cessna Aircraft Models
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As of October 2020, Textron Aviation was making these Cessna-branded planes:
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk – A high-wing plane with one piston engine and four seats. It has been made since 1956.
- Cessna 182 Skylane – A high-wing plane with one piston engine and four seats. It has been made since 1956.
- Cessna 206 Stationair – A high-wing utility plane with one piston engine and six seats. It has been made since 1962.
- Cessna 208 Caravan – A high-wing utility plane with one turboprop engine. It has been made since 1984.
- Cessna 408 SkyCourier – A high-wing utility plane with two turboprop engines. It has been made since 2022.
- Cessna Citation family – These are business jets with two engines.
- Cessna Citation 525 M2/CJ series – Made since 1991.
- Cessna Citation 560XL Excel – Made since 1996.
- Cessna Citation 680 Sovereign – Production stopped in 2021.
- Cessna Citation 680A Latitude – Made since 2014.
- Cessna Citation 700 Longitude – Made since 2019.
See also
In Spanish: Cessna para niños
