The Last Minute Hitch: 3 October 2025
3 October 2025
– Steve Hitchen
Cessna's go anywhere do anything C182 Skylane turns 70 this month. One of aviation's true four-seaters, the Skylane overcomes the perceived shortcomings of the C172 Skyhawk, a smaller sibling with which it is often mistaken from a distance. Those shortcomings were seen as low power and marginal lifting capabilities. Whilst desirable in a trainer, they limited the Skyhawk's utility value. But despite being one of the most delivered airframes in aviation history, the modern C182T and T182T are struggling to regain form in a high-speed single market that is neatly tied up with a Cirrus-coloured ribbon. Textron tried to solve the issue a few years ago when they retired the C182 and pivoted towards the diesel JT-A, only to have that project go belly up and obliging the Skylane to make a comeback, sort of like Bob Simpson in the 1977 test series against India. The Skylane still sits in second place, but when the leader is selling more than 10 times the number of airframes, the gap is probably insurmountable. Good products, however, don't die easily. The C182 still has a niche to service, that of the classic utility that doesn't have the lines or speed of a Cirrus, but is capable of doing so much more. It's the so much more bit that is keeping the Skylane on the market.
"..The emergence of eVTOLs is going need the pioneering spirit to be resurrected.."
When pilots were first taught to fly, the process was relatively easy: there was no imposing set of rules about who was qualified to teach and who wasn't. The very first teachers of aviators had no instructing qualifications; they had not been taught themselves and had had to learn by experience alone. The experience they passed on became the genesis of flight instruction. That was in the early 20th century, but now CASA finds itself in a similar state. As they start their licensing program for eVTOLs, the have a very small knowledge base on which to draw. So small, that as you read this there are no certified crewed eVTOLs in the western world. That may not matter. Many years ago helicopters were invented with control systems vastly different from the aeroplanes of the day, and licensing rules emerged even though the knowledge base was then almost non-existent. Those of us who fly today have always done so in the post-pioneer period, when aeronautical knowledge was not complete (it still isn't), but robust enough for us to have confidence. The emergence of eVTOLs is going need the pioneering spirit to be resurrected, and that include tolerance of mistakes whilst we as an aviation community learn together. The difference with eVTOLs is the heavy influence of software that wasn't around in aviation's embryonic years. From flight control systems and simulators, learning this new technology is a very different story from the early 20th century. Does that make it easier or harder to write licensing regs? I guess we'll know in the next five years or so.
It's October already. In aviation that means three things: bird's nests, changeable weather and a looming deadline for the Wings Awards. All three need attention about now. Nominations for the 2025 CASA Wings Awards close on 16 November, so there's not yet a need to panic if you haven't lodged your submission; time is currently on your side, but it is tapping its foot. So start thinking now about your end game and what you want your nomination to look like, then carefully check the category criteria. Remember, the judges check against this criteria, so your submission will need to tick all those boxes and then some. And if you want more incentive, have a look at the prizes on offer from Garmin, World Fuel, AvPlan, Icom and GME. Coupled with the support of CASA and AMDA Foundation and you can see how the Wings Awards have become an intrinsic part of the GA community in Australia. If someone you know deserves the recognition the CASA Wings Awards bring, make sure your nomination is polished to a very high standard.
May your gauges always be in the green,
Hitch
PS: From last week's LMH Eyrie has a point...
Plus some video, courtesy LMH, from Tocumwal airshow
3 October 2025
– Steve Hitchen
Cessna's go anywhere do anything C182 Skylane turns 70 this month. One of aviation's true four-seaters, the Skylane overcomes the perceived shortcomings of the C172 Skyhawk, a smaller sibling with which it is often mistaken from a distance. Those shortcomings were seen as low power and marginal lifting capabilities. Whilst desirable in a trainer, they limited the Skyhawk's utility value. But despite being one of the most delivered airframes in aviation history, the modern C182T and T182T are struggling to regain form in a high-speed single market that is neatly tied up with a Cirrus-coloured ribbon. Textron tried to solve the issue a few years ago when they retired the C182 and pivoted towards the diesel JT-A, only to have that project go belly up and obliging the Skylane to make a comeback, sort of like Bob Simpson in the 1977 test series against India. The Skylane still sits in second place, but when the leader is selling more than 10 times the number of airframes, the gap is probably insurmountable. Good products, however, don't die easily. The C182 still has a niche to service, that of the classic utility that doesn't have the lines or speed of a Cirrus, but is capable of doing so much more. It's the so much more bit that is keeping the Skylane on the market.
"..The emergence of eVTOLs is going need the pioneering spirit to be resurrected.."
When pilots were first taught to fly, the process was relatively easy: there was no imposing set of rules about who was qualified to teach and who wasn't. The very first teachers of aviators had no instructing qualifications; they had not been taught themselves and had had to learn by experience alone. The experience they passed on became the genesis of flight instruction. That was in the early 20th century, but now CASA finds itself in a similar state. As they start their licensing program for eVTOLs, the have a very small knowledge base on which to draw. So small, that as you read this there are no certified crewed eVTOLs in the western world. That may not matter. Many years ago helicopters were invented with control systems vastly different from the aeroplanes of the day, and licensing rules emerged even though the knowledge base was then almost non-existent. Those of us who fly today have always done so in the post-pioneer period, when aeronautical knowledge was not complete (it still isn't), but robust enough for us to have confidence. The emergence of eVTOLs is going need the pioneering spirit to be resurrected, and that include tolerance of mistakes whilst we as an aviation community learn together. The difference with eVTOLs is the heavy influence of software that wasn't around in aviation's embryonic years. From flight control systems and simulators, learning this new technology is a very different story from the early 20th century. Does that make it easier or harder to write licensing regs? I guess we'll know in the next five years or so.
It's October already. In aviation that means three things: bird's nests, changeable weather and a looming deadline for the Wings Awards. All three need attention about now. Nominations for the 2025 CASA Wings Awards close on 16 November, so there's not yet a need to panic if you haven't lodged your submission; time is currently on your side, but it is tapping its foot. So start thinking now about your end game and what you want your nomination to look like, then carefully check the category criteria. Remember, the judges check against this criteria, so your submission will need to tick all those boxes and then some. And if you want more incentive, have a look at the prizes on offer from Garmin, World Fuel, AvPlan, Icom and GME. Coupled with the support of CASA and AMDA Foundation and you can see how the Wings Awards have become an intrinsic part of the GA community in Australia. If someone you know deserves the recognition the CASA Wings Awards bring, make sure your nomination is polished to a very high standard.
May your gauges always be in the green,
Hitch
PS: From last week's LMH Eyrie has a point...
Quote:Eyrie 8 days ago
If RAAus is the problem, just abolish it. It is long past its use by date anyway. It was formed to make rag and tube puddle jumpers respectable and no longer does those anyway.
While at it, abolish the regulatory functions of the other Part 149 organisations.
Plus some video, courtesy LMH, from Tocumwal airshow