Smaller, Lighter Cessna 327 'Mini Skymaster'

The 327 was Cessna’s solution to a downsizing opportunity. Then it ended up in a NASA wind tunnel.

Jason McDowell

Tuesday, June 27, 2023 at 11:41 AM ET

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A close-up shot of the 327 undergoing testing in NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. [Credit: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

The Cessna 327, or "Baby Skymaster," was a 1965 prototype developed by Cessna to tap into a market for a smaller, more economical twin-engine aircraft than the full-sized Skymaster, catering to pilots who typically flew alone or with one passenger.
Essentially a 172-sized Skymaster, it featured a unique centerline thrust design, two 160 hp engines, a strutless cantilever wing, and excellent visibility, completing less than 40 hours of flight testing by Cessna in 1967-1968.
After its commercial development ceased, the sole prototype of the Cessna 327 was later used by NASA in 1975 for full-scale wind tunnel studies on propeller noise reduction, after which it was likely scrapped.

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Once upon a time, GA aircraft manufacturers pursued market niches with the ferocity of wild dingos. When marketing teams identified a potentially underserved customer segment, they wasted no time introducing minor variations to existing models to accommodate it. Compared to today’s offerings, the resulting variety of aircraft was spectacularly broad and varied.

When Cessna determined some customers would be willing to pay a bit more for a slightly more powerful 172, for example, the company introduced the 175 Skylark. This was little more than a 172 with a different engine, but the company was in pursuit of new market segments and opted to advertise it as an entirely different model.