New Cessna Citation CJ3+ makes first flight
WICHITA, Kan., July 28, 2014 – Cessna Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announced today the successful maiden flight of the first production unit of the Citation CJ3+ from the company’s manufacturing facility adjacent to Mid-Continent Airport in Wichita, Kan. Mark Tuttle, production flight test pilot, said all systems performed as expected during the 73 min. flight.
The new aircraft was first announced on March 20 of this year, and Federal Aviation Administration certification is expected this year.
“Response to the CJ3+ has been excellent; customers recognize the value proposition of the airplane with its Garmin G3000 flight deck along with upgraded interiors and systems throughout,” said Chris Hearne, vice president, Jets. “The CJ3+ is engineered for superior reliability without sacrificing efficiency and comfort, and is offered with best-in-class acquisition and direct operating costs.”
The newest aircraft in the popular line of CJ-series jets includes all-new interiors with a redesigned cabin and cockpit, new pressurization and new diagnostics systems. The CJ3+ features the Garmin G3000 avionics suite, which includes turbulence detecting weather radar, TCAS II, advanced Terrain Awareness Warning Systems (TAWS), and the installation of automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) capabilities. The addition of ADS-B capability makes the CJ3+ compliant with a significant aspect of announced Next Generation (NexGen) air traffic control requirements. The aircraft also features a wireless media server, Garmin integrated cockpit and cabin Iridium phone, and high speed internet capabilities.
With its long range cruise of up to 2,070 nautical miles, the CJ3+ can fly passengers nonstop from Washington, D.C., to Mexico City; from San Diego, Calif., to Juneau, Alaska; or from Lima, Peru, to São Paulo, Brazil. The CJ3+ is expected to receive single-pilot certification and has maximum seating capacity for nine passengers.
This milestone reflects the company’s focus on continued investment in general aviation’s most extensive product line up. In addition to the CJ3+, Cessna has recently celebrated market introductions of the Citation M2, Citation Sovereign+ and Citation X+, with the game-changing mid-size Citation Latitude certification expected in Q2 of 2015.
Cessna’s Citation series of jets are the most popular line of business jets ever produced, with more than 6,600 jets that have been designed, manufactured and delivered to customers around the world. For more information on the CJ3+, please visit Cessna.com.
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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.
