Cessna Delivers 100th Skylane to Yingling Aviation for CAP Duty

[jimmydeanno]

Hello Fellow CAPTalker's, thought this was a neat article and that I'd share:

AOPA 2007: Cessna Delivers 100th Skylane To Yingling Aviation For CAP Duty
Fri, 05 Oct '07
Aircraft To Be Equipped With Advanced SAR Gear

Cessna announced Thursday at AOPA Expo 2007 the planemaker's Independence, KS facility recently delivered the 100th C182 Skylane to Wichita-based Yingling Aviation for modification for duty with the Civil Air Patrol.

Yingling will outfit the G1000-equipped Skylane with special avionics equipment for CAP duty. The independent Cessna authorized service station holds the STC for CAP-specific mods.

The aircraft was delivered at the end of September. Yingling will complete the modifications that provide search-and-rescue equipment and dual audio panels with the ability to have multiple, simultaneous communications between the pilot, mission specialist, observer and agencies on the ground. These modifications allow CAP to take an increased role in support of national security and disaster relief operations.

The Skylane is scheduled for delivery to CAP in November, according to Cessna.

Operating as the auxiliary of the US Air Force, CAP is a low-cost airborne asset that local, state and federal agencies can deploy quickly and effectively in times of emergency.  CAP operates over 500 Cessna aircraft -- qualifying them as the largest Cessna fleet operator in the world.

Yingling designed and received the STC from the FAA in 2003 for the special mission equipment package. With assistance from Cessna and Garmin, Yingling updated the STC in 2004 to work with the Garmin G1000 avionics suite.

Cessna has scheduled 25 additional Skylanes this year for the CAP modification.

[Pylon]

This may be one of the best descriptor sentences I've seen (especially written from outside CAP) regarding our capabilities:

Operating as the auxiliary of the US Air Force, CAP is a low-cost airborne asset that local, state and federal agencies can deploy quickly and effectively in times of emergency.

Short, sweet, to the point, and sells the product without getting into overly technical and heavy details.

[Tubacap]

I concer, I hope someone at NHQ is reading this.

[Nomex Maximus]

So when are they shipping that 182 to my unit?

[jimmydeanno]

Cessna has scheduled 25 additional Skylanes this year for the CAP modification.

I wonder if these are going to be 25 new 182s or conversions of some of our previously purchased ones.  If it is 25 new ones, that's a pretty big investment.  That's one new plane for about 1/2 of the wings in the organization.

[Pylon]

So when are they shipping that 182 to my unit?

...said Captain Kieloch.   

[bosshawk]

Jimmydeanno: the 182s are brand-spanking new, glass cockpit models.  CAP has been buying about 20-25 each year for several years.  The money, of course, comes from our AF appropriation, just like our radios.

As far as I know, the SAR-specific equipment is the DF unit, a CAP radio and perhaps SDIS equipment.  No way you can cram ARCHER units into a 182 and fly away with it.

CAWG has three of the glass 182s and, I believe, is getting another one before the end of the year.

[sardak]

Here was the original STC issued to Yingling:

Installation of Civil Air Patrol UPSTAT Avionics package in the Cessna 182T including GX-60 GPS/Com, SL30 VHF Nav/Com, Artex 406 Mhz ELT, KR-21 Marker Beacon Receiver, Apollo Annunciator Control Unit, Mid-Continent Instruments MD-200 Nav Indicator, and NAT AMS-44T two channel audio panel. Installation of the avionics package must be accomplished in accordance with Yingling Aviation Master drawing List MDL2701-34350, Revision A dated September 18, 2003 or later FAA approved revision.

And the current amended STC:

Installation of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Special Missions Equipment in the Cessna Model 182T including the KGS power converter, Technisonics TDFM Transceiver, Becker DF-517 ADF, and 12 and 28 VDC power outlets. The CAP Special Mission Equipment may be interfaced to the UPSAT Avionics package or the NAV III (Garmin G-1000 w/ Dual GMA-1347 Audio Panels) Avionics package. An optional ARTEX 110-406 Emergency Locator Transmitter and/or audio provisions for ARNAV RCOM 100 SATCOM may be installed when the CAP equipment is installed with the NAV III package.

Mike