the Turbo 182 is back in production

[Gordon Freeman]

Why did they stop innovating? This is a classic case of complacency and lack of adaptability. TTx was great, just late. By then Cirrus had taken over the market and anything Cessna branded was seen as a relic from the 50s. It’s sad to see them go the way of Blockbuster. I understand that innovation (and certification) is risky and expensive, but if Diamond, Epic, Pipistrel can do it, so can Cessna. I blame poor leadership, poor product and marketing team, and probably company culture as a whole.

 

[Bell206]

I blame poor leadership, poor product and marketing team, and probably company culture as a whole.

FYI: blame no market. If you dig into the numbers there is no comparison. Diamond, Epic, Cirrus, Pipi offer several models for how many potential customers? A quick check with those aviation markets that did not collapse from 1986 to 1996 will give more examples of why Cessna or Piper doesn't offer a clean sheet model for the future. Simply no one to buy it. That was evident when Cirrus and Columbia brought their new models to market in 2000.

 

[Racerx]

Why did they stop innovating? This is a classic case of complacency and lack of adaptability. TTx was great, just late. By then Cirrus had taken over the market and anything Cessna branded was seen as a relic from the 50s. It’s sad to see them go the way of Blockbuster. I understand that innovation (and certification) is risky and expensive, but if Diamond, Epic, Pipistrel can do it, so can Cessna. I blame poor leadership, poor product and marketing team, and probably company culture as a whole.

Ttx wasn't even their design. They bought Columbia...which was really just a certified Lancair. Cessna really did the frame a disservice by constantly changing the name. Remember, Cessna did have a new design with the NGP but scrapped it when they bought Columbia.

Pipistrel was getting European subsidies. And was bought out by Textron.

Epic was bought in bankruptcy by "Russia's Elon Musk"

One plane that was REALLY ahead of it's time was the Bellanca Skyrocket ii designed in the 70's.

Say what you want. But the chute is what propelled Cirrus past everyone

 

[red4golf]

With questions like that, you probably were bothering him.

I didn't start that way. I tried to talk to him for a bit and asked about changes to the aircraft, upgrades, etc.

I can totally see where he would do an eyeroll and assume I was looking to bad mouth them but I was actually looking to purchase a plane. I was tasked by an organization I was affiliated with at the time to identify a small aircraft for their business. They wanted a 4 or 6 seat airplane and preferred new. They ended up buying a 30+ year old plane and upgrading it to their standards because there was nothing available new that met their price point.

 

[donjohnston]

Not even close. That Albatross will be at least a $Million...

Post 71: $653k

looks like I was pretty close.

 

[Tantalum]

Why did they stop innovating? This is a classic case of complacency and lack of adaptability. TTx was great, just late. By then Cirrus had taken over the market and anything Cessna branded was seen as a relic from the 50s. It’s sad to see them go the way of Blockbuster. I understand that innovation (and certification) is risky and expensive, but if Diamond, Epic, Pipistrel can do it, so can Cessna. I blame poor leadership, poor product and marketing team, and probably company culture as a whole.

This reads like some of my posts from a few years ago. Eventually came to realize that Textron is just focusing on where the best way to make the most margin is. It is too bad to see less of that 'passion' but to your point we still have the likes of diamond, Epic is up and coming with your recently certified product and there's always the EA world

 

[Racerx]

and there's always the EA world

Like Raptor?

 

[Tantalum]

Like Raptor?

At one point and what feels like a different lifetime I thought that was a cool project. At this point I'm thinking RV 10, Sling, maybe Velocity

Kudos to Peter all things considered for getting it in the air multiple times and not killing himself

 

[Racerx]

At one point and what feels like a different lifetime I thought that was a cool project. At this point I'm thinking RV 10, Sling, maybe Velocity

Kudos to Peter all things considered for getting it in the air multiple times and not killing himself

I'm with ya. I've long said the future of GA is EAB. I wish some of the dead tc planes could be brought back as EAB which I think is what they had talked about with the skyrocket. For all that was said about Peter, and most of it deserved...he designed and flew his own plane powered by an auto conversion. No kit. No plans.