Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, said today it is set to accelerate customer deliveries of the new 162 Skycatcher light sport aircraft.

Cessna delivered its first new Skycatcher at the end of 2009 and is notifying customers that, while aircraft modifications have delayed initial deliveries, Cessna and production partner Shenyang Aircraft Corp in China are working together to ramp up deliveries through the rest of 2010. Another group of Skycatchers is being readied in Wichita now for delivery to customers in coming weeks.

Cessna continues to work with European authorities to gain approval for the LSA certification process that will allow the company to begin deliveries to European customers. Currently, a total of 12 countries around the world recognize ASTM standards for the new LSA class