The aircraft is a 2006 Cessna 172SP Skyhawk with the Garmin G1000 avionics system, also known as a glass ‘cockpit.’ It is the second factory-new aircraft since the company opened in 2004, increasing the fleet size to five. What makes it different?
The radio equipment, called ‘avionics’ by pilots, includes two flat-panel monitors that replace dozens of gauges, dials and buttons. This same equipment has until recently been found only in multi-million dollar military, airline and corporate jets, but is now being installed in smaller airplanes used for training and rental. It gives pilots more control over the information they need, and Kilpatrick said it is the wave of the future.
"Cessna is the largest manufacturer of airplanes in the world, and they will build 1,000 single-engine aircraft similar to ours next year. Each one will have the Garmin G1000 glass cockpit avionics system, replacing the round gauges that have been in use for decades. It's like going from the Winnie Mae and Spirit of St. Louis to the Space Shuttle in one single step."
Oklahoma Aviation is Oklahoma’s only Cessna Pilot Center, operates the newest fleet of instructional and rental aircraft in the state, and is based at Wiley Post Airport.
