Mon, Jan 07, 2008
Commenters Aren't Buying It... Or, Apparently, The Plane
Criticism of Cessna's choice to build the upcoming SkyCatcher
LSA in China has grown steadily since the American planemaker
announced its decision in December. The company's VP of Marketing,
Tom Aniello, responded to those grumblings in a posting last month
on the Cessna SkyCatcher blog... acknowledging the debate many of
us have heard around pilot lounges, aviation events, and on the
pages of several publications (including ANN.)
Not surprisingly, Aniello defends the decision -- and stresses
the Model 162 will be a true-blue Cessna, despite the "Made In
China" label.
"Much of the feedback we heard was emotionally charged...
However, a great many remarks appeared to be based on incomplete or
inaccurate information," Aniello asserts. "We thought you might
appreciate some additional insight into Cessna's business
decision..."
The rest of the posting lays out the 50-plus-year track record
of Shenyang Aircraft Company in producing both complete aircraft,
and also components for companies including Boeing, Airbus, and
Bombardier, and discusses at length the economic forces at work in
today's global economy.
Aniello closes with assurances that the SkyCatcher will truly be
a Cessna, fully backed by Cessna.
One month later, most of the 213 responses (at this writing)
have been from people who aren't buying the company's arguments --
and say they'll never buy a "Chessna," or any other plane assembled
in China.
A few, more pragmatic responses acknowledge Cessna's
compelling financial reasons for doing so... but still lament the
company's decision.
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