Cessna Citation M2: Customers Asked, We Answered

July 23, 2012

Oshkosh, WI - Jul 23, 2012 - Cessna's Citation M2, on display at Cessna's EAA AirVenture exhibit, is what our customers are asking for - ease of cockpit navigation, friendly transition for the pilot moving up or new to the jet market, comfortable cabin and efficient speed and range. Since the program was announced, nearly nine months ago, Cessna's M2 engineering team has incorporated customer comments and suggestions into the design of the M2. Cessna Aircraft Company is a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company.

"The innovative M2 team has been working incredibly hard to make sure this aircraft is just what our customers are asking for - talking and meeting directly with customers to ensure we are hearing their feedback," said Brian Rohloff, Cessna business leader for Citation Mustang and M2. "We have taken the initial design and incorporated customer feedback to make upgrades that we know our customers will like."

Those upgrades include a shortened throttle quadrant pedestal and extended crew seat tracks to increase leg room in the cockpit. We have also integrated more switches into the Garmin Touch Screens to create a clean, intuitive interface for the pilots.

"We heard several times in talking with pilots and owner/operators that these are a must for the M2 - so we made it happen," Rohloff said.

Even while incorporating customer feedback into the M2 program, the program is on track for 2013 delivery. With nearly 200 hours on two M2 flying articles, flight test remains a priority to move closer to FAA certification (Part 23).

"Throughout our test flights, the aircraft has performed exceptionally well. The engine operations, avionics suite and other aircraft systems have exceeded our expectations and have proven great choices for the M2," said Brian Steele, Cessna business leader, TTX and former Citation M2 engineering program manager. "It's great for the team to hear our test pilots say things like, 'Wow, this really is a nice aircraft to fly - its handling characteristics are great, the Garmin G3000 avionics are so intuitive and seamless; the whole aircraft is truly fun to fly.' That tells us we are on the right track and we are excited to get this sleek aircraft into our eagerly waiting customers' hands."

The Citation M2's clean cockpit design is anchored by the fully integrated Garmin G3000 avionics suite and the aircraft is powered by a pair of FADEC-controlled Williams International FJ44-1AP-21 turbofan engines. It has an all-new cabin design, including the optional Cessna proprietary cabin management system, ClairityTM, which includes the latest interface options for greater in-flight productivity and connectivity.

With room for two crew and up to six passengers, the $4.195 million Citation M2 has a maximum cruise speed of 400 knots true airspeed (741 kilometers per hour) and a range of 1,300 nautical miles (2,408 kilometers). The aircraft can operate at airports with runways as short as 3,250 feet (991 meters) and will climb to 41,000 feet (12,497 meters) in 24 minutes.

A video highlighting the Citation M2's features can be viewed on Cessna's YouTube channel. Visit our gallery of Citation M2 images.


Brian Rohloff, Cessna Business Leader for Citation Mustang and M2, inside the cockpit of the M2 prototype

Check out the latest photos of the Citation M2

About Cessna
Cessna is the world's leading general aviation company. Since its inception in 1927, Cessna has designed, produced and delivered more than 193,500 airplanes around the globe. This includes more than 6,300 Citation business jets, making it the largest fleet of business jets in the world. Today, Cessna has two principal lines of business: aircraft sales and aftermarket services. Aircraft sales include Citation business jets, Caravan single-engine utility turboprops, single-engine piston aircraft and lift solutions by CitationAir. Aftermarket services include parts, maintenance, inspection and repair services. In 2011, Cessna delivered 689 aircraft, including 183 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of $2.990 billion. More information about Cessna Aircraft Company is available at cessna.com.

About Textron
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, 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, and Textron Systems. More information is available at textron.com.

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements which may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these statements 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 statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to changes in worldwide economic or political conditions that impact demand for our products, interest rates or foreign exchange rates; changes in government regulations or policies on the export and import of commercial products; the efficacy of research and development investments to develop new products or unanticipated expenses in connection with the launching of significant new products; the timing of our new product launches or certifications of our new aircraft products; our ability to keep pace with our competitors in the introduction of new products and upgrades with features and technologies desired by our customers; performance issues with key suppliers, subcontractors or business partners; difficult conditions in the financial markets which may adversely impact our customers' ability to fund or finance purchases of our products; and continued volatility in the economy resulting in a prolonged downturn in the markets in which we do business.

Contacts

Contact: Andy Woodward
Cell: +1 316 641 3579
Email: awoodward@cessna.textron.com

Contact: Sara Monger
Phone: +1 316 517 6488
Email: semonger@cessna.textron.com

Connect with Textron IR

David Rosenberg, Vice President, Investor Relations
(401) 457-2288
Kyle Williams, Manager, Investor Relations
(401) 457-2288

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