November 6, 2009

Cessna Aircraft Company said today it will deliver the first Model 162 Skycatcher Light Sport Aircraft to the first customer of the model later this year. The customer, Rose Pelton of Wichita will use the aircraft to pursue her private pilot’s license.

“When I first saw the Skycatcher mockup at Oshkosh in 2007, I knew that was the aircraft I wanted to learn to fly in,” Pelton said. “I couldn’t be more excited to own the first Skycatcher.”

Rose is the wife of Cessna Chairman, President and CEO Jack J. Pelton.

The Model 162 Skycatcher is a two-place, single-engine piston, high-wing aircraft in the Light Sport Aircraft category, defined in the United States as an aircraft with a gross weight under 1,320 pounds and with a top speed of no more than 120 knots. LSAs are built to ASTM International standards.

Cessna launched its Skycatcher program at AirVenture Oshkosh in 2007 and has since amassed more than 1,000 orders.