On Saturday, Kittyhawk Airfield once again hosted one of its very popular type-branded fly-ins (though, as always, all other types are welcome!). This time the spotlight was on one of the world's most iconic general aviation brands: Cessna.
Founded 98 years ago in 1927 by Clyde Cessna and Victor Roos as the Cessna-Roos Aircraft Company, the firm closed in 1932 during the Great Depression. Two years later, Cessna's nephews, Dwane and Dwight Wallace, revived it and began shaping it into the global success it would become.
The Cessna line up. For some reason most consisted of retractable types. I had to leave at 10.45 so more may have arrived. I know Capt. Karl Jensen did in the 170 ZU-VAL
What many may not know is that Clyde Cessna, along with two other aviation legends, Walter Beech (later of Beechcraft) and Lloyd Stearman (of Boeing Stearman fame), had earlier co-founded the Travel Air Manufacturing Company in January 1925. Travel Air quickly became a leader in single-engine light aircraft, the largest-volume manufacturer in the U.S. by 1928, and the driving force behind Wichita earning the title “Air Capital City.”
Travel Air's designs included the ground-breaking Mystery Ship racer, which influenced radical changes in U.S. military aircraft, as well as pioneering small airliners such as Delta's first. It also produced the first civilian aircraft to fly to Hawaii.
I was fortunate enough to once fly in a 1929 Travel Air biplane at AirVenture, enjoying some gentle aerobatic manoeuvres, an experience I will never forget. (Watch the bonus video!)
Dieter and Cathy Bock flew their immaculately restored Crusader from Krugerdorp
Cessna went on to become best known for its small, high-wing piston aircraft. The most famous of these, the Cessna 172 Skyhawk, first delivered in 1956 (with a pause from 1986-1996), remains the world's most produced aircraft, with over 44,000 built.
Some of the other types that visited...........
...........As well as Kevin Reece and Kobus Stander that flew their Robbie's from Petit.
The company's history of ownership is also notable: acquired by General Dynamics in 1985, and then by Textron in 2014, where it joined Beechcraft and Hawker under the Textron Aviation umbrella. By 1975, even before these changes, Cessna had already produced its 100,000th single-engine airplane. Between 2018 and 2020 alone, propeller-driven aircraft production is estimated at 1,632 units. Textron Aviation today proudly claims that Cessna and Beechcraft together account for more than half of all general aviation aircraft ever delivered worldwide.
Of course, arranging a fly-in is always a gamble with the weather, and turnout can be unpredictable. Theoretically, Saturday's Cessna event should have attracted a sizeable fleet of the beloved marque. However, only a handful arrived, most notably, with few exceptions, all were retractable types.
Still, the Kittyhawk team ensured visitors had plenty to enjoy. Aeronautical Aviation was present with the latest Garmin equipment on display, and Aeroclub Chairman Goitse Diale gave an informative and well-balanced briefing on the AIC 18.19 Task Team's efforts to scrap the controversial 12-year engine rule. He also updated attendees on the status of negotiations with the regulator and the pending court case scheduled for 11-12 September. While the outcome remains uncertain, his talk was very well received.
The next major event at Kittyhawk will be the ever-popular Van's RV Day on 13 September. For more information, contact Sumarie at 082 663 3070.
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