The genesis of Cessna took place in in 1924 when Clyde Cessna became partners with Lloyd Stearman and Walter Beech to form the Travel Air Manufacturing Company with the intent of building biplanes.
The Wichita, Kansas trio had their differences, and a parting of the ways occurred in 1927 when Cessna went off to form the Cessna Aircraft Company and to build monoplanes. Travel Air Manufacturing would hold course and continue to build biplanes.
While Cessna and it’s lineage have gone on to be long-time leaders in general aviation aircraft, as they have built more aircraft than any other aircraft company in history, both Stearman and Beech would also have well documented and illustrious careers.
In 1929, Stearman became part of the United Aircraft and Transport Corporation (UAT), the parent company of Boeing Airplane and Transport Company, Seattle. The Boeing Wichita plant would become the primary manufacturer of the B-29 Superfortress during World War II as well as the B-52 Stratofortress during the 1950s. The Wichita plant remains one of Boeing’s primary manufacturing centers today.
Walter Beech founded Beech Aircraft Company in 1932. During WWII the company was known for it’s AT-71C-45, a plane that was used in the training of the majority of the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) pilots. Post WWII brought about the advent of Bonanza, a light general aircraft that was a best seller of its day. In 1980 Beech Aircraft Corporation merged with Raytheon Company.
One of the first designs of the Cessna Company was the Cessna Phantom in 1927. The design of the Cessna AW would soon follow. The stock market crash of 1929 contributed to the closing of the company in 1931.
A nephew of Clyde Cessna, Dwayne Wallace, would be instrumental in running the re-opened company in 1934. Clyde Cessna’s son, Eldon Cessna, left the company in the 1930s and went to work for North American, where he contributed to the development of the P-51 and later the F-86.
Cessna began production of a two seat light plane in 1946 with the model 120. A decade later the 150 was produced, and the Cessna name became synonymous and forever linked as a leader of small general aviation planes. Although production of their last two seat aircraft, the 152, ceased in 1985, the company continues to manufacture small-engine planes such as the 172, 182 and 206 as well as business jets such as the Citation series.
In 1985 Cessna was bought out by General Dynamics. And in 1992, Textron Inc bought from General Dynamics the Cessna Division.

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