SHANGHAI, China (April 11, 2016) –
Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc.
(NYSE:TXT) company, today announced at the Asian Business Aviation
Convention & Exhibition (ABACE) that three years after establishing a
joint venture between Cessna Aircraft Company and
China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Company (CAIGA), deliveries of
the Cessna Caravan single-engine utility turboprop have increased
nearly 80 percent in country.
Textron Aviation’s exhibit this week at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport includes the
Grand Caravan EX, and two more of its most popular regional products: the
Cessna Citation XLS+ midsize business jet and the flagship of the Beechcraft King Air family of twin-engine turboprops, the
King Air 350i with Fusion avionics. Textron Aviation is joined by its corporate sister company Bell Helicopter, which is exhibiting the
Bell 429
in a VIP configuration. The 429 continues to gain interest throughout
the region due to its state-of-the-art technology and luxurious
interior.
“From establishing assembly and
delivery partnerships, to aggressively investing in sales and support
personnel, Textron Aviation’s approach of building a localized,
company-direct presence
in China is not only ensuring Cessna and Beechcraft products remain the
leading models in China in the categories in which we compete, but also
helping mature the business aviation industry here,” said Bill Schultz,
senior vice president, Business Development,
China. “The success of the Caravan and King Air in region demonstrates
how being close to our customers allows us to be more responsive in
offering solutions for their mission requirements.”
Turboprop versatility wins in region
With nearly 900 turboprop aircraft in
the Asia-Pacific region, Beechcraft and Cessna’s turboprop platforms
lead the market. The Beechcraft King Air and Cessna Grand Caravan EX
have proven to
be ideally suited to the region’s needs due to their ample range, solid
load capacity and flexible special mission capability.
A favorite among private and
commercial operators in the region, the Grand Caravan EX allows for
extended missions and higher payload. The amphibian model has sparked a
new segment in China’s
aviation market by giving operators greater access to remote locations
with a first-class interior configuration that can accommodate up to
nine passengers. Shanghai-headquartered Joy Air Holdings has taken
delivery of 13 of its initial order of 20 Grand Caravan
EX Amphibian aircraft, which it is utilizing for flights between
coastal areas, air sightseeing tours and charter flights throughout the
region.
The Beechcraft King Air 350i,
equipped with the new Pro Line Fusion avionics system and cabin
upgrades, is making its ABACE debut. Pro Line Fusion for the King Air
brings one of the most trusted
avionics architectures to the first full touch-screen flight display
system. The one-of-a-kind, intuitive flight deck enhances the flight
experience while reducing pilot workload.
Leading the APAC business jet market
Cessna and CAIGA also operate a joint
venture – Cessna-AVIC (Zhuhai) Co. Ltd. – for paint, interior
installation, flight testing and delivery of the Citation XLS+ for
Chinese customers. The
midsize XLS+ is the best-selling business jet worldwide and is ideal
for the Chinese market due to its low acquisition and operating costs,
its high-altitude performance and its range.
The Asia-Pacific region is perfect
for the extensive mission and performance capabilities of Cessna’s broad
range of Citation business jets with nearly 300 in operation throughout
the region.
With a range of 5,278 kilometers (2,850 nautical miles) and
class-leading cabin comfort and ownership costs, the company’s recently
certified Citation Latitude is an ideal platform for the region.
Following a successful demonstration tour in 2015 throughout
Asia-Pacific, the Latitude earned high marks from owners and operators
looking for exceptional performance capabilities and maximum comfort at a
midsize acquisition price.
Dedicated support for region’s largest fleet
Supporting the largest fleet of
aircraft throughout the Asia-Pacific markets, Textron Aviation has a
robust network of nearly 40 authorized service facilities, including
nine in China, to support
its customers throughout the region. In addition, the company also has a
dedicated parts depot in Singapore, as well as a team of expert service
technicians in country offering maintenance, inspections, parts,
repairs, refurbishments and other specialized
services.
Image:
Cessna Grand Caravan EX
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About Textron Aviation Inc.
Textron Aviation Inc. is the
leading general aviation authority and home to the 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 most capable 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, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training. For
more information visit:
www.textron.com.
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