niente qui

Nice writeup. I often wonder how their longevity will be from a support perspective, with so few actually produced, and the unfinished ones destroyed (if I'm remembering correctly).

dogpilot wrote:So we toss some tools in the back and hop in the little SkyCatcher, which my fuzzy brain keeps defaulting to FlyCatcher.

My brain details to "SkyCrasher" after they wrecked two of the prototypes. It always baffled me how a company like Cessna could create a clean sheet design that wouldn't recover from a spin.

When the LSA thing first "arrived", several manufacturers brought their version of "LSA trainer" to the university for us to fly. The Skycatcher was one. The one I flew had a Garmin G-3X panel, though, but nevertheless, every bit as competent as a G1000 for this class airplane.

I totally agree, the thing was a delight to fly. That stick control just blew me away....a stick controlled airplane with a clear floor!! What a great idea! And, that stick was beautifully set up.

Frankly, there really wasn't much to not really love, particularly from a trainer.

Except......Useful load.

A flight school in Fargo bought a few of them. Problem was, their DPE was a big boy. To conduct a legal checkride (and you're a damn fool to do otherwise), they needed a dwarf, and a petite one at that, for a student. Those planes didn't last long. Midwest students (and examiners) tend to somewhat exceed the "petite" category in general.

And, that was, and is, the single big issue with the LSA category. That little airplane COULD have been a real hit, if the GW could have been set at 1500, for example. But a school can't buy an airplane where they'll have to say "Sorry, cant use that one" to over half the students......or hire 70 pound instructors and examiners......

I agree that in the current market, they likely can be stolen, and they are probably all in really low time and good shape.

Problem is, they're effectively a single seat airplane for many folks.

MTV

Now you’ve got everyone curious on the takeoff weight out of Flagstaff

I read the wiki writeup. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cessna_162_Skycatcher, the spin stuff was pretty weird, add the weight of the BRC (that didn’t work right), and all you corn fed heifers need not apply.

Still, some pretty good capability and systems for pretty cheap if it works for you. I can see why Cessna put a bullet in it at $150,000 and no Asian market (ps, they all train here).

niente qui

I talked with a fellow from Santa Fe last summer, who’d just bought a Skycatcher. He had about 30 hours in it and was loving it.

The whole LSA gross weight thing was one of the dumbest things the FAA has done. If they’d established a decent max weight, like 1500, there could have been a number of verv successful designs evolve. But 1320?

But if you’re mostly putting around and by yourself, one of these could be perfect.

MTV

mtv wrote:…..The whole LSA gross weight thing was one of the dumbest things the FAA has done. If they’d established a decent max weight, like 1500, there could have been a number of verv successful designs evolve. But 1320? ...

I agree. But I kinda recall that the original weight limit being batted around was even lower,
so when it was set at 1320 everyone thought they won.
IMHO FAA should gone with the limitations of the European VLA (very light aircraft) category--
they allow a max takeoff weight of 750 kg (1650 pounds).
That's more like it!

I've heard talk of the LSA weight limit being bumped up--
can't remember the specific number but it was a helluva increase.
Hard to believe ...but bumping it to 1650 to mirror VLA limits would make a lot of sense IMHO.