Wichita, KS - August 6, 2007 - Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today that the Citation Mustang has been named “Product of the Year” by The Aviation Consumer.
"We base our selection on a product's outstanding value achievement and impact on the market. With the Citation Mustang, it's not just the airplane itself — although it's impressive. It's the achievement of producing it on time, on budget and on the numbers," said Aviation Consumer Editor Paul Bertorelli.
The Cessna Citation Mustang became the first new-generation entry level jet to achieve full Federal Aviation Administration type certification on September 8, 2006. Cessna has delivered nearly 20 Mustangs and is well on its way to meet another target: delivering 44 aircraft in 2007.
“I'm very proud of the engineers, project managers and production team that have made the Mustang one of our greatest success stories,” said Cessna Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Jack Pelton. “Our Mustangs are being delivered virtually squawk-free and the positive feedback from our customers has been remarkable.”
The Citation Mustang is assembled at Cessna's facility in Independence, Kan., also home to the company's line of single-engine piston aircraft (Models 172, 182 and 206).
The six-place Citation Mustang has a top speed of 340 ktas (nearly 400 miles per hour), a range of 1,150 nautical miles (1323 statute miles – NBAA IFR Reserves) and a service ceiling of 41,000 feet.
Aviation Consumer was launched in 1972. It is an independent aviation consumer resource publication with a circulation of 17,000 readers around the globe.
Based on unit sales, Cessna Aircraft Company is the world's largest manufacturer of general aviation airplanes. In 2006, Cessna delivered 1,239 aircraft, including 307 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of about $4.2 billion and a backlog of $8.5 billion. Since the company was originally established in 1927, more than 189,000 Cessna airplanes have been delivered to nearly every country in the world. The global fleet of more than 5,000 Citations is the largest fleet of business jets in the world. More information about Cessna Aircraft Company is available at www.cessna.com.
Textron Inc. is an $11 billion multi-industry company operating in 32 countries with approximately 40,000 employees. The company leverages its global network of aircraft, 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 report 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 Textron facilities or Textron's customers or suppliers; [c] the occurrence of slowdowns or downturns in customer markets in which Textron products are sold or supplied or where Textron Financial offers financing; and [d] changes in aircraft delivery schedules or cancellation of orders.