The New Classroom in the Sky

Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 09:15 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

The Cessna 162 SkyCatcher is highlighted as a modern and reasonably priced flight trainer.
It features key design elements for improved safety and ease of use, including a ventral fin for enhanced stall recovery and gull wing doors for easy entry.
The aircraft is equipped with advanced avionics, specifically a Garmin G300 system featuring a primary flight display and VFR-only GPS, alongside a unique under-panel flight control stick system.

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Cessna’s 162 SkyCatcher is a totally modern flight trainer at a very reasonable price.

The ventral fin under the tail was added after the original design to improve recovery from aggravated stalls. Cessna

Cessna 162 SkyCatcher Cessna

Garmin designed the G300 system to meet the requirements of the SkyCatcher. The G300 is a full primary flight display (PFD) with electronic gyros and air data computer. It also contains a VFR-only GPS navigator and a database of airports and the airspace system. Cessna

The unique flight control stick system in the 162 places the grip directly ahead of each pilot, but the entire mechanism is mounted under the instrument panel so nothing extends to the floor. The prototype has the optional second Garmin flat-glass MFD. Cessna

The swept-back wing strut moves the strut and main landing gear leg of the 162 aft so there is room for a gull wing door that lifts up for easy entry. Cessna

Cessna 162 SkyCatcher Cessna

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