CAWG Group 2 New Aircraft!

Lt Col Brett Dolnick, CAP
Commander of Diablo Squadron  44
California Wing

The following diary was written by Lt Col Brett Dolnick chronicling his adventures transporting a brand new C-182 G1000 from the Cessna Factory in Wichita Kansas to Concord CA. Lt Col Dolnick was accompanied by Capt Jeff Ironfield.

Day one

We arrived at Cessna headquarters and got our badges and notebooks and met the head of pilot training. Then we got to sit through a 4 hour ground school similar to the CAP ground school, going over a G1000 overview, standard setup, and full function of all VFR functions. This was about 3.5 hours. 

Cessna factory. Photo Lt Col Dolnick

Welcome Lt Col Dolnick Photo Lt Col Dolnick

Welome Capt Ironfield. Photo Lt Col Dolnick

Then we went into a room with a bunch of simulators and got to practice some button-ology, setup, flight plans, and VNV.

G-1000 Simulator. Photo Lt Col Dolnick

After that, we went to lunch with the Value Stream Leader for the single engine line, who has 37 people working for him building the 172, 182, and 206s. He said right now, they're producing 5-6 planes per week and the most they've ever done is about 25 in a week. He's been on the line until shortly after they restarted in 1997.

He said the most popular is the 172 and it takes about twice as long to make a 206 as a 172. He said it's about 13 days for a 172, 7 for the build, 3 for paint, and 3 for test flight, fixes, etc. He said they're just starting on the new 182 JT-A. The first one is on the line now. They also have the first Mustang 2 on the floor (sorry, they don't allow pictures on the factory floor). They make the 172, 182, 206, Corvalis, and Mustang here. They do some final assembly of the 162 here, but they're made in China.

Capt Jeff Ironfield. Photo Lt Col Dolnick

After lunch, we went to fly. We picked up our planes (2 of the many CAP planes they have here) in the Customer Delivery Center. While the plane Capt Ironfield flew had a rudder trim issue, my plane flew VERY well. Luckily we got to do our preflight in the center, since it was about 20 deg outside. They took us out on a tug, while we were nice and warm inside (ahhhh, that new plane smell).

Capt Ironfield Preflights. Photo Lt Col Dolnick

After start, I took off, flying to 3O9 - Grand Lake Regional (Monkey Island, OK). After a full stop there, we went to KBVO - Bartlesville. We did steep turns, slow flight, and power off stalls.

We added points in our flight plan, did VNav profiles and descents different ways, rerouted, and then went in to land. After a full stop there, we took off for KCNU - Chanute. While en route we practiced with the Nearest function, setting all the radios and an approach up back to KIDP. we shot a practice approach (no hood today) followed by a full stop landing and taxi back to the Delivery Center.

It was a fun day!  Enjoy the pictures and look forward to more tomorrow.