Aug. 28--Cessna Aircraft's Independence plant has reached a milestone with the delivery of the 10,000th single-engine airplane built at the plant since it made its first delivery in June 1996, the company said.
Liberty University, based in Lynchburg, Va., took delivery of the 10,000th plane, a Cessna Skyhawk, and two other Cessna Skyhawks, for use as flight trainers.
The milestone airplane carries a custom paint scheme noting its position as the 10,000th delivery.
"Reaching this milestone is a testament to the quality of the workforce at our Independence facility, which continues to be a cornerstone of our manufacturing footprint," Lily English, general manager of the Independence plant, said in a statement. "Through the years, our Independence facility has grown from producing only single-engine aircraft to now also producing and delivering the Citation Mustang and the recently certified Citation M2."
Cessna, now a division of Textron Aviation, built the plant and restarted single aircraft production after Congress passed the General Aviation Revitalization Act in 1994, which limits manufacturers duration of liability for the airplanes they produce.
Cessna halted propeller aircraft production in 1986 in response to rising liability costs. Cessna chairman Russ Meyer promised to restart production if GARA passed.
The company builds most of its single-engine piston products in Independence, including the Skyhawk, Turbo Skylane JT-A, Stationair and TTx.
It also produces the Citation Mustang and Citation M2 jets. The company's Garmin avionics training center is also at the facility.
Liberty University School of Aeronautics offers degrees in military aviation, missionary aviation, commercial and corporate aviation and Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
Reach Molly McMillin at 316-269-6708 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @mmcmillin.
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