Farnborough, England - July 14, 2008 - With Federal Aviation Administration type certification in hand, Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, is moving toward first delivery of the Citation XLS+ by the end of the third quarter.
The order book tops 225 – with 70 bound for Europe – for the XLS+, an upgrade to the mid-size XLS that is on exhibit this week at the Farnborough International Airshow. With a global fleet of nearly 650 planes and more than 1.4 million flight hours, the Excel/XLS is the world’s best-selling business jet model. More than 160 have been delivered to Europe.
Cessna received FAA certification for the XLS+ on May 30 following a 640-hour flight test program; European Aviation Safety Agency certification is in progress and expected by early 2009.
The XLS+ features the fully integrated Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite and electronically controlled (FADEC) engines from Pratt & Whitney Canada. All current production Citations employ new generation turbofan engines, which meet or exceed the most stringent noise requirements and allow Cessna’s line of business jets to be among the most fuel efficient and achieve some of the lowest emissions in the industry.
Exterior and interior restyling is also integrated into the new model, most prominently the extended contour of the nose and expanded seat widths, both introduced to more closely resemble Cessna’s Citation X and Citation Sovereign models. The Citation XLS+ travels as fast as 815 kilometers per hour (440 knots) with a range of more than 3,441 kilometers (1,858 nautical miles).
About Cessna Aircraft Company
Based on unit sales, Cessna Aircraft Company is the world's largest manufacturer of general aviation airplanes. In 2007, Cessna delivered 1,272 aircraft, including 387 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of about $5 billion. Cessna has a current backlog of $14.5 billion. Since the company was originally established in 1927, some 190,000 Cessna airplanes have been delivered to nearly every country in the world. The global fleet of more than 5,100 Citations is the largest fleet of business jets in the world. More information about Cessna Aircraft Company is available at http://www.cessna.com.
About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. is a $13.2 billion multi-industry company operating in 34 countries with approximately 44,000 employees. The company leverages its global network of aircraft, defense and intelligence, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, Fluid & Power, Textron Systems and Textron Financial Corporation. More information is available at www.textron.com.
Forward-looking Information: Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements and speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the statements, including but not limited to the following: [a] changes in worldwide economic and political conditions that impact demand for our products, interest rates and foreign exchange rates; [b] the interruption of production at our facilities or at our suppliers’ facilities; [c] the timing of new product launches and certifications of new aircraft products; [d] the occurrence of slowdowns or downturns in customer markets in which our products are sold or supplied; [e] changes in aircraft delivery schedules or cancellation of orders; [f] the launching of significant new products or programs which could result in unanticipated expenses; [g] changes in national or international government policies on the export and import of commercial products; and [h] bankruptcy or other financial problems at major suppliers that could cause disruptions in our supply chain.