Wichita, KS - July 6, 2012 - Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, introduced another Mobile Service Unit based at Atlantic Aviation, a fixed base operator at Birmingham International Airport in Alabama. Cessna Mobile Service Units (MSU) provide on-site technical expertise and immediate support for over 6,000 Cessna Citation jets in operation worldwide. The specially outfitted trucks carry many of the tools and equipment found in Cessna Citation Service Centers and can perform a variety of service related procedures up to and including engine exchanges. There are now 18 Mobile Service Units in the United States, with 22 in service overall covering the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
"With thousands of Citations in service, our mobile maintenance capabilities are key to supporting the scheduled and unscheduled maintenance needs of our customers," said Joe Hepburn, Cessna senior vice president, Customer Service. "Services provided by the MSUs are frequently more convenient for customers - the MSU is another example of how we respond to our customer's unique needs."
In 2011, MSUs handled more than 2,300 service events at off-site locations. MSUs are stationed across the United States as well as in Canada and Europe. MSUs perform scheduled maintenance events including phase inspections and Maintenance Steering Group (MSG) tasked based inspections. MSG is a collaborative effort between Cessna, its customers and the Federal Aviation Administration to develop a safe and economical maintenance program.
Citation customer Robert Fiscella speaks positively about the convenience and caliber of service provided by the MSU. "My experience of my Citation being serviced by the MSU was very worthwhile. The crew arrived earlier than anticipated. After a thorough diagnosis, parts were ordered and arrived in a timely manner. The work was performed expeditiously. Everything worked great and there were no problems."
Cessna MSUs are a key component of the Citation Service Center's ServiceDirect initiative, which also includes AOG Go Teams, the Air Response Team, HomeService and Temporary Personnel Support. Since its introduction in 2008, Cessna's fleet of agile ground-based MSU vehicles is rewriting the rules on how to provide expeditious service and maintenance for Cessna business jets around the world.
Images of the Mobile Service Unit are located at Cessna's image gallery.
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.
Contact
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