Cessna 150

The Cessna 150 is a two-seat tricycle gear general aviation airplane that was designed for flight training, touring and personal use. In 1977, it was succeeded in production by the Cessna 152, a minor modification to the original design.

The Cessna 150 is the fifth most produced aircraft ever, with 23,839 produced. The Cessna 150 was offered for sale in named configurations that included the Standard basic model, the Trainer with dual controls, and the deluxe Commuter, along with special options for these known as Patroller options. Later, these configurations were joined by the top-end Commuter II and the aerobatic Aerobat models.

In 2007, Cessna announced a successor to the Model 150 and 152, the Model 162 Skycatcher.

In the mid-1950s, Cessna Aircraft Company began development of a successor to the popular Cessna 140 which finished production in 1951. The resulting 142 was based on the 140, but had tricycle landing gear, which gives the aircraft more docile ground handling than the tailwheel landing gear of the 140; Cessna also replaced the rounded tips of the wings and empennage with more modern-looking, squared-off tips, and the narrow, hinged wing flaps of the 140 were replaced by larger, far more effective Fowler flaps.

The Cessna 142 prototype first flew on September 12, 1957, shortly before the aircraft was renamed to Model 150 in October. Production commenced in September 1958 at Cessna's Wichita, Kansas, plant. 1,764 aircraft were also produced by Reims Aviation under license in France. These French manufactured 150s were designated Reims F150 or Reims-Cessna F150, the "F" indicating they were built in France.

American-made 150s were all produced with the Continental O-200-A engine of 100 horsepower (75 kW). Most Reims-built aircraft are powered by a Continental O-200-A built under license by Rolls-Royce, but some have the Rolls-Royce-built version of the Continental O-240-A.

All models from 1966 onwards have larger doors and increased baggage space. With the 1967 Model 150G, the doors were bowed outwards 1.5 inches (38 mm) on each side to provide more cabin elbow room.

The 150 was succeeded in the summer of 1977 by the closely related Cessna 152. The 152 is more economical to operate due to the increased TBO (time between overhaul) of the Lycoming O-235 engine. The 152 had its flap travel limited to 30 degrees, from the 150's 40 degree flap deflection, for better climb with full flaps and the maximum certified gross weight was increased from 1,600 lb (726 kg) on the 150 to 1670 lb (757 kg) on the 152. Production of the 152 ended in 1985 when manufacturing of all Cessna piston singles was suspended.