Cessna offers company-direct Caravan maintenance for customers in China

April 13, 2015

SHANGHAI, China (April 13, 2015) – Cessna Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, today announced its joint venture operation in Shijiazhuang has gained initial approval for Cessna Caravan Model 208 series maintenance by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) during the second quarter of 2015.

Initial CAAC Part 145 maintenance approval grants to Cessna-AVIC (Shijiazhuang) Co. Ltd. the ability to perform all maintenance procedures required by the manufacturer up to 100 flight hours.

“Providing company-direct maintenance is an important step for our joint venture to eventually provide complete life-cycle support for the growing fleet of Cessna Caravan aircraft in China,” said Jackie Chen, general manager, Cessna-AVIC (Shijiazhuang) Co. Ltd. “Having the maintenance facility located with our Grand Caravan EX production facility provides the most efficient setup for customers in the region.”

The Cessna-AVIC Aircraft (Shijiazhuang) Co., Ltd., joint venture was one of two signed by Cessna and CAIGA in early 2012. The joint venture company in Shijiazhuang is responsible for final assembly, paint, interior installation, customization, flight testing and delivery of Grand Caravan EX turboprops for the Chinese market. The Cessna-AVIC Aircraft (Zhuhai) Co., Ltd. is responsible for similar operations to assemble and deliver Cessna Citation XLS+ business jets in China.

Orders for Grand Caravan EX aircraft from customers in China, particularly orders for amphibian models from aerial tour operators, have been robust through the first 18 months of joint venture operations. Customers include Meiya Air for aerial sightseeing in Wuzhizhou Island of Sanya; Joy Air, for charter tourism flights among Shanghai, Zhoushan and Shengsi Islands; and Reignwood Group.

About the Caravan

Powered by the Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A-140 engine, the Grand Caravan EX boasts a 38 percent improvement over the rate of climb of the Grand Caravan, a 350-foot reduction in takeoff roll and a 10-12 knot cruise speed improvement on average. The all-glass Garmin G1000 avionics suite with GFC 700 autopilot was specifically designed for the EX version.

Cessna expects to deliver its 2,500th Caravan in 2015, and the fleet is now certified in 100 countries with more than 13 million flight hours amassed since the aircraft was introduced in 1985. Caravans fulfill roles for multiple missions, ranging from flight training to recreation, commuter airlines to VIP transport, cargo carriers to humanitarian missions. For more information about the five Caravan models currently available and their capabilities, go to Cessna.txtav.com/Caravan.

About Cessna-AVIC (Shijiazhuang) Co., Ltd.
Cessna-AVIC Aircraft (Shijiazhuang) Co., Ltd., a joint venture between Cessna Aircraft Company and China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co., Ltd. (CAIGA), obtained its business license from the Ministry of Commerce in September 2013. Joint venture operations conduct final assembly of Cessna Caravans for the Chinese market including assembly, paint, testing, interior installation, customization, flight testing and delivery of the Caravan to in-country customers. Deliveries of aircraft by the joint venture began in December 2013.

About Textron Aviation Inc.
Textron Aviation Inc. is the leading general aviation authority and home to the iconic Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands, which account for more than half of all general aviation aircraft flying. The Textron Aviation companies include Cessna Aircraft Company and Beechcraft Corporation, bringing together decades of unmatched experience in designing, building and supporting airplanes. It provides the most versatile and comprehensive general aviation product portfolio in the world through five principal lines of business: business jets, general aviation and special mission turboprop aircraft, high performance piston aircraft, military trainer and defense aircraft, and a complete global customer service organization. Its broad range of products include such best-selling aircraft as Citation and Hawker business jets, King Air and Caravan turboprops and T-6 military trainer aircraft, all of which are backed by the industry’s largest global service network. For more information, visit txtav.com.

About Textron Inc.
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, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. For more information visit: www.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, the efficacy of research and development investments to develop new products or unanticipated expenses in connection with the launching of significant new products or programs; 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; changes in government regulations or policies on the export and import of our products; volatility in the global economy or changes in worldwide political conditions that adversely impact demand for our products; performance issues with key suppliers or subcontractors; and continued demand softness or volatility in the markets in which we do business.

For further information please contact:
Stephanie Harder
+1.316.8702
sharder@txtav.com
textronaviation.com

Alice Zhang
+86 13681163255
zhangal@ruderfinnasia.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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