Van's nose wheel fork on Skycatcher?

noelf · #1 02-02-2012, 08:08 AM

I just received a Sporty's Pilot Shop catalogue and on the cover is a photo of the Cessna Skycatcher minus the wheel pants. The nose wheel strut and wheel fork look just like the Van's design. (From the photo, I can not tell if it is the old or new style design). I wonder if Cessna has outsourced their Skycatcher solution to Van's Aircraft.

Jamie · #2 02-02-2012, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noelf

I just received a Sporty's Pilot Shop catalogue and on the cover is a photo of the Cessna Skycatcher minus the wheel pants. The nose wheel strut and wheel fork look just like the Van's design. (From the photo, I can not tell if it is the old or new style design). I wonder if Cessna has outsourced their Skycatcher solution to Van's Aircraft.

Not sure about the fork, but the rumor was that the Skycatcher prototype was also flying with Van's pressure recovery pants.

DGlaeser · #3 02-02-2012, 02:08 PM

I instruct in a Skycatcher, and built an RV7A. The designs have the same architecture (as Bob Nuckolls would say), but they are not the same part.
I don't know who makes the Cessna part, but if it were Van's, we'd have heard about it, I'm sure.
The castering nosewheel has been around longer than Vans...

We didn't get the pants, so I can't comment on any similarities there. I don't think I've even seen a Skycatcher with pants