CITATION SOVEREIGN+ BUSINESS JET RECEIVES EASA CERTIFICATION
WICHITA, Kan., June 10, 2014 – Cessna Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. company (NYSE:TXT), today announced the completion of European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification of Cessna’s Citation Sovereign+ business jet. The Citation Sovereign+ features enhanced climb performance and range, along with Garmin’s G5000 avionics. The aircraft recently completed a successful demonstration tour in Europe, where it debuted last month at the 2014 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Switzerland.
“The Citation Sovereign+ is a great fit for the European market with its non-stop range between London and the United States or the Middle East, and all European city pairs,” said Chris Hearne, vice president, Jets. “We have a number of European customers ready to take delivery of their aircraft, and with EASA certification we can now get the Sovereign+ into the marketplace. Customers are responding positively to the new Garmin avionics and the many other interior and exterior features that allow this aircraft to fly farther, smarter and more comfortably than before.”
Featuring winglets and the new Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306D engines providing 5907 pounds of thrust, the Citation Sovereign+ has a range of 3,188 nautical miles (5,904 km), a top speed of 460 knots (529 miles per hour) and a direct climb to 45,000 feet.
The new cockpit in the Sovereign+ is designed around the Cessna Intrinzic Flight Deck powered by Garmin G5000 avionics. An integrated, workload-reducing auto throttle system streamlines the pilots’ tasks. With Cessna’s Clairity cabin management system and redesigned interior options, the Sovereign+ features the longest and most comfortable cabin in its class with a max seating configuration for up to 12 passengers. The Clairity system allows passengers to remain connected in-flight through the integration of smartphones and tablets, along with an airborne Internet system.
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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 textronaviation.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.
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