Lakeland, FL - April 21, 2009 - Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today at the Sun ’n Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Fla. that access to a new program from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) to help fund pilot training is now available though its national network of more than 275 Cessna Pilot Centers (CPC).
“The AOPA program is a great opportunity for people who have always wanted to learn to fly, but felt the cost was a barrier,” said Tom Aniello, Cessna vice president, Marketing. “It is a natural connection for Cessna. Our CPC network offers convenience for people across the country to make application to the program and take their flying lessons in one place.”
The AOPA program enables an aspiring pilot to access up to $25,000 to finance their flight lessons. The financing program is administered and funded through a third-party provider not associated with Cessna, Textron or Textron’s finance companies.
Cessna’s network of Cessna Pilot Centers consists of private flying academies that use Cessna aircraft and Cessna’s exclusive flight training curriculum which, on average, may allow students to earn a pilot certification in less time than with other nationally available training programs. More information on flight training and Cessna Pilot Centers is available at the Learn to Fly section of www.cessna.com/learn-to-fly.html.
About Cessna Aircraft Company
Based on unit sales, Cessna Aircraft Company is the world's largest manufacturer of general aviation airplanes. In 2008, Cessna delivered 1,301 aircraft, including 467 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of about $5.662 billion. Cessna has a backlog of $14.5 billion as of December 31, 2008. Since the company was originally established in 1927, some 192,000 Cessna airplanes have been delivered around the world, including more than 5,700 Citations, making it 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 $14.2 billion multi-industry company operating in 28 countries with approximately 42,000 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, 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.