Independence, Kansas, March 7, 2000 — Cessna Aircraft Company recently delivered 16 new Cessna Skyhawk 172Rs to Central Missouri State University. The new aircraft, flown from Independence to the CMSU campus by student and faculty pilots, will replace the school’s fleet of Cessna 150s and 152s. CMSU, located in Warrensburg, Missouri, offers an aviation technology degree that includes aircraft maintenance management along with five other areas approved by the Council on Aviation Accreditation: professional pilot, aviation management, avionics management, agricultural aviation and systems design programs.

The agricultural aviation and systems design programs are the only programs of their kind in the nation. "Our decision to purchase the new Cessna Skyhawks was based primarily on our extensive history with previous Cessna models, both from an operation and maintenance standpoint," John Dennison, Chair of CMSU Department of Power and Transportation said. "In addition, the docile and similar flying characteristics of the new Skyhawks will provide a nice transition from our older Cessna 152s." The Cessna Skyhawk is globally recognized as the aircraft-of-choice in today’s training environment by world’s best flight schools, aviation colleges and universities.