Columbia bidding war anyone?

We pointed out last week that Cessna was showing more than a little interest in the bankrupt Columbia aircraft, and that it would mark a departure from the familiar Cessna design. It does appear now that Cessna rival Cirrus Design Corp. is beginning to wade into the fray, if for no other reason than to keep Cessna honest. The complaint from the parties apposed to Cessna's approach is that the bidding process offers them an unfair advantage. The other interested parties have filed suit in Oregon, hoping to earn their place in the bidding set to take place on November 21st.

All of this interest in Columbia aircraft seems to be a positive sign when it comes to the GA marketplace. One can only hope the competition serves to lower prices and increase innovation, pushing the state of the art not bogging it down in the bureaucracy.