The producer of the most sold aircraft in history, the 172, is produced by Cessna, a Textron company. Founded by Clyde Cessna and Victor Roos and originally named the Cessna-Roos Aircraft Company. It was later purchased by General Dynamics and then Textron. To this day, Cessna remains the most popular aircraft manufacturer.
Cessna’s current headquarters is in Wichita, Kansas. Textron’s headquarters is in San Antonio, Texas. Textron is a large, multi-industry conglomerate. It owns Textron Aviation, which in turn owns the Cessna brand along with Beechcraft and Hawker (though Hawker no longer produces new aircraft). Textron also has other business interests outside of aviation.
Textron also owns the helicopter maker, Bell. Bell is Textron’s vertical lift brand. They were acquired by Textron in 1960. In 2022, Textron acquired Pipistrel which it will be using to expand into electric aircraft development. One exciting innovation is the Nuuva V300 which is optimized for delivering a 300-kg payload to destinations more than 300 km away, it offers advantageous flexibility of operation.
Pipistrel Velis Electro is the first ever type certified electric aircraft. The Electro produces zero emissions during operation. The startup procedure for the Electro consists of flipping 4 switches and absolutely no warm-up time. The aircraft is ready to go.
Further, beyond Bell Helicopters work in the defense sector; Textron is involved in other defense technologies like the XM204 Top Attack Munition, an anti-vehicle terrain shaping system,
Certainly! Compiling a comprehensive list of every Cessna aircraft ever produced, along with detailed specifications such as manufacturer, model number, production dates, production quantity, engine type, top speed, cruising speed, operating cost per hour, maximum altitude, cruising altitude, pressurization status, and initial selling price, is an extensive task. Given the breadth of Cessna’s production history, I’ll provide detailed information for a selection of notable models across different categories. If you require information on additional models, please let me know, and I can provide further details.
Cessna 172 Skyhawk
- Manufacturer: Cessna (now Textron Aviation)
- Model Number: 172
- Production Dates: 1956–present
- Production Quantity: Over 44,000
- Engine Type: Piston (Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 hp)
- Top Speed: 163 knots (188 mph)
- Cruising Speed: 124 knots (143 mph)
- Operating Cost per Hour: Approximately $100–$150
- Maximum Altitude: 14,000 ft
- Cruising Altitude: 6,000–8,000 ft
- Pressurized: No
- Initial Selling Price: Approximately $419,620 (2023)
Sources: AOPA, Textron Aviation
Cessna 182 Skylane
- Manufacturer: Cessna
- Model Number: 182
- Production Dates: 1956–1985, 1997–present
- Production Quantity: Over 23,000
- Engine Type: Piston (Continental O-470 series)
- Top Speed: Approximately 150 knots (173 mph)
- Cruising Speed: Approximately 145 knots (167 mph)
- Operating Cost per Hour: Approximately $150–$200
- Maximum Altitude: 18,100 ft
- Cruising Altitude: 6,000–10,000 ft
- Pressurized: No
- Initial Selling Price: Approximately $500,000 (varies by year and configuration)
*Note: The Cessna 182 NXT, introduced in 2012, features a turbo-diesel engine burning Jet A fuel, offering improved fuel efficiency and performance at high altitudes. citeturn0news13
Cessna 208 Caravan
- Manufacturer: Cessna
- Model Number: 208
- Production Dates: 1984–present
- Production Quantity: Over 2,600
- Engine Type: Turboprop (Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A)
- Top Speed: Approximately 186 knots (214 mph)
- Cruising Speed: Approximately 170 knots (196 mph)
- Operating Cost per Hour: Approximately $500–$600
- Maximum Altitude: 25,000 ft
- Cruising Altitude: 10,000–12,000 ft
- Pressurized: No
- Initial Selling Price: Approximately $2.32 million (2023)
Source: Wikipedia
Cessna 162 Skycatcher
- Manufacturer: Cessna
- Model Number: 162
- Production Dates: 2009–2013
- Production Quantity: Approximately 275
- Engine Type: Piston (Continental O-200D, 100 hp)
- Top Speed: 138 mph
- Cruising Speed: 136 mph
- Operating Cost per Hour: Approximately $50–$70
- Maximum Altitude: Approximately 14,625 ft
- Cruising Altitude: 6,000–8,000 ft
- Pressurized: No
- Initial Selling Price: Approximately $149,000
Cessna Citation Sovereign
- Manufacturer: Cessna
- Model Number: 680
- Production Dates: 2004–2021
- Production Quantity: 443
- Engine Type: Jet (Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306C)
- Top Speed: Mach 0.80 (459 knots, 528 mph)
- Cruising Speed: 458 knots (527 mph)
Single-Engine Piston Aircraft
These are some of the most commonly produced and recognized Cessna aircraft, often used for training and personal use.
- Cessna 120/140: Produced in the late 1940s, these were two-seat trainers.
- Cessna 150/152: Introduced in the 1950s and 1970s respectively, these two-seat trainers are among the most popular training aircraft.
- Cessna 170: A four-seat aircraft produced in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk: Introduced in 1956 and still in production, it’s the most produced aircraft in history.
- Cessna 175 Skylark: Produced from 1958 to 1962, a four-seat aircraft with a geared engine.
- Cessna 177 Cardinal: Produced from 1968 to 1978, known for its cantilever wing design.
- Cessna 180/185 Skywagon: Utility aircraft produced from the 1950s to the 1980s.
- Cessna 182 Skylane: Introduced in 1956, a four-seat aircraft still in production.
- Cessna 188 AGwagon: Produced from 1966 to 1983, designed for agricultural use.
- Cessna 190/195: Business aircraft produced from 1947 to 1954, featuring radial engines.
- Cessna 205/206/207: Utility aircraft produced from the 1960s to present, known for their versatility.
- Cessna 210 Centurion: Produced from 1957 to 1986, a high-performance retractable-gear aircraft.
- Cessna 350/400 (Corvalis): High-performance aircraft produced in the 2000s.
Twin-Engine Piston Aircraft
These aircraft offer greater speed and redundancy, suitable for business and personal travel.
- Cessna T-50 Bobcat: Produced in the 1930s and 1940s, used as a military trainer.
- Cessna 310: Introduced in 1954, Cessna’s first twin-engine aircraft.
- Cessna 320 Skyknight: Produced from 1961 to 1969, a turbocharged version of the 310.
- Cessna 335/340: Pressurized aircraft produced in the 1970s.
- Cessna 336/337 Skymaster: Unique push-pull twin-engine design produced from the 1960s to 1980s.
- Cessna 401/402 Utiliner/Businessliner: Produced from the late 1960s to 1980s, used for commuter airlines.
- Cessna 404 Titan: Produced from 1976 to 1982, a larger twin-engine aircraft.
- Cessna 411: Produced from 1962 to 1967, a pressurized business aircraft.
- Cessna 414 Chancellor: Produced from 1968 to 1985, a pressurized cabin-class aircraft.
- Cessna 421 Golden Eagle: Produced from 1967 to 1985, a luxury pressurized aircraft.
Turboprop Aircraft
These aircraft offer higher performance and are often used for cargo and regional transport.
- Cessna 208 Caravan: Introduced in 1984, a versatile utility aircraft still in production.
- Cessna 425 Corsair/Conquest I: Produced from 1980 to 1986, a pressurized turboprop.
- Cessna 441 Conquest II: Produced from 1977 to 1986, a larger turboprop aircraft.
- Cessna 406 Caravan II: Produced by Reims Aviation, a twin turboprop aircraft.
- Cessna 408 SkyCourier: Introduced in 2020, a twin-engine utility turboprop.
Jet Aircraft (Citation Series)
Cessna’s Citation series includes a range of business jets catering to various market segments.
- Citation I (500/501): Introduced in 1972, Cessna’s first jet aircraft.
- Citation II (550/551): Produced from 1978 to 2006, an extended version of the Citation I.
- Citation III/VI/VII (650 series): Produced from 1983 to 2000, mid-size jets with higher performance.
- Citation V/Ultra/Encore (560 series): Produced from 1987 to 2011, popular light jets.
- Citation Excel/XLS/XLS+ (560XL series): Introduced in 1998, combining light jet efficiency with mid-size comfort.
- Citation CJ series (525, 525A, 525B, 525C):