When Was Cessna Founded?

Cessna started as a small aircraft company and was founded to build a monoplane model with a self-supporting wing and no struts or braces to prop it up.

Cessna has seen many changes through the years, like mergers and acquisitions. Despite the challenges, they still stand firm today, nearly 100 years after their first ever aircraft model was built.

Cessna was founded on September 7, 1927, after Clyde Cessna and Victor Roos partnered up. However, the partnership only lasted a week until Victor Roos resigned. Clyde Cessna built his first plane in 1911, but struggling to raise money led him to Wichita, Kansas, to start working on Cessna Aircraft.

Clyde Cessna was a man devoted to all things aviation his entire life. The initial inspiration for building planes was after he learned about what an aviator was paid for appearing at different shows. This led to him building the Silverwing in 1911, and eventually, Cessna Aircraft was formed over a decade later.

All information on the creation of Cessna has been carefully researched, with tons of data and information pulled directly from company documents. This guide will explain the Cessna founding date and other key company information.

‍When Was Cessna Founded?

The Cessna Aircraft Company was founded in 1927. It currently is a major general aviation aircraft manufacturer specializing in small piston-powered propeller aircraft.

The primary goal of Cessna at inception was to build the first-ever monoplane that didn't rely on struts or braces to support the wing. This became known as the cantilever design, and Cessna forever imprinted the aviation industry.

Cessna is an American aircraft manufacturing company specializing in designing and manufacturing light general aviation aircraft. The company's headquarters are located at Textron Aviation's main campus in Wichita, Kansas.

Cessna has produced more than 192,000 aircraft since its inception and is one of the most famous aircraft manufacturers in the world. The company is a leading global designer and manufacturer of general aviation aircraft.

History Of Cessna

Cessna has gone through many acquisitions and ownership changes over the years. They even closed temporarily during the Great Depression but eventually found a way to operate successfully again.

This did not come without struggle, as the need and demand for private aircraft dried up quickly in 1930. In 1931, operations closed, and buildings were rented out to supplement the lost income.

Clyde Cessna struggled and was forced to sell his company shares in 1935. However, he remained the President until his retirement in 1936.

Two years later, the first twin-engine aircraft was built and used for the military. This allowed the business to grow again.

In 1959, Cessna decided to expand their operations by acquiring Aircraft Radio Corporation to rebrand the product to Cessna radios in all new aircraft.

In 1985, Cessna was officially sold and no longer existed as an independent company. They were purchased by General Dynamics Corporation, leading to many military and cargo planes being built.

For example, after this acquisition, the Cessna Caravan started. This is one of the most popular Cessna cargo planes currently in existence.

Later on, in 1992, General Dynamics sold Cessna to Textron. The two companies still operate together today in 2022.

However, in 2014 Cessna ceased all operations as an individual company. They are now an official brand of Textron Aviation instead.

Cessna Aircraft Engine Types

Cessna Aircraft has three primary types to choose from. The following engine types make up nearly all of the planes ever built under the Cessna name.

Single-Engined Aircraft

The single-engine aircraft was the initial beginning for Cessna and stands today as their most produced plane. Some of their most popular models include the Cessna 172 Skyhawk, Cessna 162 Skycatcher, and Cessna 208 Caravan.

Piston engine aircraft are built for speed and efficiency with simplified designs. This is especially true for many of the Cessna planes too.

For many new pilots or pilots in training, this type of plane will be used for all of your learning requirements at the early stages of training. They are cheaper planes with smaller cabins but still extremely reliable.

Below are all of the single-engine Cessna planes ever made.

Twin-Engine Aircraft

The twin-engine is a larger and more capable design for these planes. However, Cessna has ceased the design of any new planes with a twin-engine piston construction. They are expensive to make with very little upside.

This has led to the creation of many new jets instead for larger aircraft necessities. The Cessna 404 Titan is the largest Cessna twin-engine piston aircraft. It is primarily used as a cargo plane with many variations available for use.

Below you will find all of the twin-engine aircraft ever built by Cessna.

Citation Jets

Citation jets are much more advanced aircraft with multiple engines, larger interior designs, and a luxury flying experience.

The most popular model is the Cessna Citation X. It includes everything you need, including a pressurized cabin that remains at 8,000 feet while the plane cruises above 50,000 feet.

Other Cessna Citation jets include the Citation Longitude, Citation Latitude, Citation XLS Gen 2, Citation CJ4 Gen2, and Citation CJ3+.

A complete list of each Cessna jet is below. This includes private jets, business jets, and even smaller commercial jets for military or private use.

Where Are Cessna Planes Manufactured?

Cessna planes are still manufactured in Wichita, Kansas, but there are many more plants worldwide for manufacturing needs too. This includes some small operations in China, and the plan is to move more and more production to China gradually.

There are also service centers in the United States to fix existing plane issues. There are 11 locations in the United States and 11 locations internationally in places like Singapore, Switzerland, and Spain.

Because of the long history Cessna created in Wichita, Kansas, the city became famously known as the Air Capital of the World.