Cessna 162 Skycatcher questions

ktsai91

Well-Known Member
For a few days now, I was researching a brand new LSA called the Skycatcher. The Skycatcher is a great airplane but there are some things that I can't stand.

1. From various photographs and videos, the panel isn't symmetrical. Take a look at it and you'll see what I mean.

http://www.162skycatcher.com/images/Cessna 162 SkyCatcher - Garmin G300 Panel sm.jpg


Is it possible to have a symmetrical Skycatcher panel?

2. Does it have a rear window like the other modern Cessnas? I get plenty of shots from the outside but I never see a shot in the bird's eye view.

Anyone knows a lot about the Cessna Skycatcher please answer me soon.
 
I don't think I'll ever get used to the idea of a Cessna with a stick rather than a yoke.
 
I know both of the prototypes have spun in and been destroyed.
 
Only Cessna could crash two prototypes and still be able to continue the program. What really gets me is that Cessna has spent over 60 years on high wing strut braced single engine piston airplanes to get it right, and they failed in a major way.
 
1. From various photographs and videos, the panel isn't symmetrical. Take a look at it and you'll see what I mean.

Cessna did this with the Cardinal and I hated it. Most owners also disliked it and Cessna changed the Cardinal's panel to have normal dash in '78 (also the Cardinal's last year). You would think they would learn from their past mistakes and make the dash normal.

Alex.
 
For a few days now, I was researching a brand new LSA called the Skycatcher. The Skycatcher is a great airplane but there are some things that I can't stand.

1. From various photographs and videos, the panel isn't symmetrical. Take a look at it and you'll see what I mean.

http://www.162skycatcher.com/images/Cessna 162 SkyCatcher - Garmin G300 Panel sm.jpg


Is it possible to have a symmetrical Skycatcher panel?

2. Does it have a rear window like the other modern Cessnas? I get plenty of shots from the outside but I never see a shot in the bird's eye view.

Anyone knows a lot about the Cessna Skycatcher please answer me soon.


I don't think you'll find any aircraft panel that's symmetrical. Although the necessary instruments may not be directly in front of the right seat pilot, he or she should be able to see them fine. It doesn't appear that there is a rear window on the current design of the Skycatcher. Again, this wouldn't really be an issue from a standpoint of functionality. The only time I've ever used a rear window is during private training trying to maintain runway centerline on takeoff. Neither of these should be an issue as far as flying the airplane. Also keep in mind that the Skycatcher is still in pre-production mode and, in light of the most recent crash last week, it will probably change a lot before it goes into production.
 
Cessna did this with the Cardinal and I hated it. Most owners also disliked it and Cessna changed the Cardinal's panel to have normal dash in '78 (also the Cardinal's last year). You would think they would learn from their past mistakes and make the dash normal.

Alex.

But this way they have built in cup holders!

Seriously though, I have a hard time swallowing that Cessna is wanting to produce an aircraft (made in China, no less) that they've had two unrecoverable spin accidents, one of which occurring after they already made refinements to the vertical stabilizer after the first unrecoverable spin accident... :confused:
 
Made in China = blasphemy

Cessnas should be made in Kansas
:yeahthat:
Also, I realize they push the airplane like crazy during flight testing, but having BOTH prototypes crash from un-recoverable spins doesn't exactly give one warm fuzzies.
 

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Jabiru's are nice, but they have an awful lot of dead space back in the back to be dragging around for no reason. Plus, they've got their own engine, that I'm not sure what happens if the company bites the dust. I'd have to go with either the Flight Design CT series or the Remos G3/GX. Both are essentially the same airplane, with very minor differences.

Find me one LSA (other than that Terraguia, half plane, half car) that has a useful load worse than that of a Cessna 162 Groundcatcher (490 pounds). Fill it with fuel, and you've got 346 pounds left. I suppose its alright, but, if you get one big guy forget it. The Remos G3 has a 650 pound useful, CTSW has 620. That's a big difference
 
Jabiru's are nice, but they have an awful lot of dead space back in the back to be dragging around for no reason. Plus, they've got their own engine, that I'm not sure what happens if the company bites the dust. I'd have to go with either the Flight Design CT series or the Remos G3/GX. Both are essentially the same airplane, with very minor differences.

Find me one LSA (other than that Terraguia, half plane, half car) that has a useful load worse than that of a Cessna 162 Groundcatcher (490 pounds). Fill it with fuel, and you've got 346 pounds left. I suppose its alright, but, if you get one big guy forget it. The Remos G3 has a 650 pound useful, CTSW has 620. That's a big difference

The original Jabiru was a four-seater with an total load weight of 1600 lbs. So the airplane can take more weight, it's just that LSA restricts the total weight to 1320 lbs. I've had the airplane loaded with the back cargo area full, with full tanks, and two people in it, and it still flies with no problem. Try that in any other LSA.

The Jabiru company is not going under anytime soon. I've talked with the Austrailian owners and they had to build another factory in Austrailia just to keep up with the orders from the U.S.
 
The original Jabiru was a four-seater with an total load weight of 1600 lbs. So the airplane can take more weight, it's just that LSA restricts the total weight to 1200 lbs. I've had the airplane loaded with the back cargo area full, with full tanks, and two people in it, and it still flies with no problem. Try that in any other LSA.

The Jabiru company is not going under anytime soon. I've talked with the Austrailian owners and they had to build another factory in Austrailia just to keep up with the orders from the U.S.


I'd love to see the Jabiru over here as a four seater, but I'm just saying, its over built, and not really optimized for the LSA, 1320lbs market. If I were going to go out and clean sheet design an LSA, I'd go with either the Rotax engine, or the Jabiru engine. Which Jabiru engine does the J230 have, the 4 cylinder, 6 or 8?

As to the C150/152. It'd be nice, but you'd have to figure out a way to loose 280 pounds to get it in the LSA category. Or, push to move the LSA limit higher, to 1,600, which I've heard rumored in various places.
 
For a few days now, I was researching a brand new LSA called the Skycatcher. The Skycatcher is a great airplane but there are some things that I can't stand.

1. From various photographs and videos, the panel isn't symmetrical. Take a look at it and you'll see what I mean.

http://www.162skycatcher.com/images/Cessna%20162%20SkyCatcher%20-%20%20Garmin%20G300%20Panel%20sm.jpg


Is it possible to have a symmetrical Skycatcher panel?

2. Does it have a rear window like the other modern Cessnas? I get plenty of shots from the outside but I never see a shot in the bird's eye view.

Anyone knows a lot about the Cessna Skycatcher please answer me soon.

1. No. What you see is what you get...some assembly required by one of the chosen, non-Cessna-owned mx shops.

2. The last one I saw had a flat, small, non-omni view window that the BRS used (I think).

Ed: you can see it in this picture -- look up through the pilot side window.

Cessna%20162%20SkyCatcher%20-268%20sm.jpg


They went with sticks to save weight. The only nav is GPS. It's LSA, but equipped to use as a primary trainer for the PPL, including night. At least this WAS the plan...
 
I'd love to see the Jabiru over here as a four seater, but I'm just saying, its over built, and not really optimized for the LSA, 1320lbs market. If I were going to go out and clean sheet design an LSA, I'd go with either the Rotax engine, or the Jabiru engine. Which Jabiru engine does the J230 have, the 4 cylinder, 6 or 8?

As to the C150/152. It'd be nice, but you'd have to figure out a way to loose 280 pounds to get it in the LSA category. Or, push to move the LSA limit higher, to 1,600, which I've heard rumored in various places.

I understand. It has the 6-cylinder engine, the J-170 has the 4-cylinder. The 8-cylinder isn't made anymore because of all the orders for the 4 & 6 cylinder.
 
I understand. It has the 6-cylinder engine, the J-170 has the 4-cylinder. The 8-cylinder isn't made anymore because of all the orders for the 4 & 6 cylinder.

That's a shame. It would be cool to build some kit built, and hang that mini IO-720 out front there (its only 310).

Back to the Skycatcher. I was down at the US Sport Aviation Expo in January in Sebring. First time I'd seen the 162, and quite honestly, I wasn't really impressed with it. Seemed to me that they would have to put the Rotax or Jabiru in it to make it work in the category, but, I suppose they can make the O-200 work (for a weight hit). The panel G300, looks to me basically the same display as in the portable 696, which wouldn't surprise me.

I've heard all kinds of rumor's about what flight schools are going to use it for. Heck, somewhere (don't recall where) I've heard that ERAU might get it to fly for private training. I laugh anytime I hear that, because, as current student, I know they'll figure out a way to charge people MORE to fly it, even though its cheaper to operate.
 
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