Cessna Warbirds Blog Moving

I am moving this blog to Wordpress, and the new version is already up and running. I already have some new content posted...and more will be added regularly.

This old blog eventually will be deleted permanently.

So please visit the new Cessna Warbirds by Walt Shiel blog and be sure to update your bookmark, RSS feed, or email subscription.


See you over on Wordpress!

High Time Skyhawk

I don't really know for certain that it's a world record, but it wouldn't surprise me if it is. According to Professional Pilots Rumor Network, Tropic Air in Belize recently retired their 1982 Cessna 172 Skyhawk after logging over 30,000 flight hours in it! (There's a nice photo of it on the PPruNe site.)

This well-used Skyhawk is registered as V3-HDN and has had more than 60% of its parts replaced over the past 25 years, including a dozen or so engines.

Tropic Air plans to buy a new diesel-engined 172.

OK, this has nothing to do with military aircraft but it's a great story, anyway!

CAP Responds

Guess I must have hit a nerve at CAP HQ with my initial post about their new Cessna 182.

I received a nice follow-up message from Jim Tynan, the Deputy Director, Creative Services (I've got to ask him what that really means) at CAP Headquarters. He assured me that their PA usually responds right away to inquiries and has already put me in touch with the Deputy Director of PA, Julie DeBardelaben, who has already contacted me.

Jim also pointed me to a website with some 60 photos of the 8,000th new Cessna 182 and the surrounding delivery ceremony, taken by a CAP photographer. Here's a nice one from that collection:

Thank you, Jim!