WICHITA, Kan. (May 3, 2016) – Cessna Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of the maiden flight of the Model 525 CitationJet prototype, the aircraft that would become the foundation of the light jet segment. The maiden flight took place on April 29, 1991 with deliveries starting two years later. Innovation in the 525 line has been a constant, with 8 platforms certified. The CJ family continues to outperform the competition with its proven performance, reliability and versatility. Cessna has delivered more than 1,800 Model 525 aircraft, including the current production M2, CJ3+ and CJ4, making the CJ line the best-selling light jet series in the world.
“We’re closing in on 2,000 Model 525s delivered to customers around the globe; nearly three times that of our nearest competitor,” said Kriya Shortt, senior vice president, Sales & Marketing. “We continue to innovate in this segment, driving significant investment in our products based on our customers’ evolving mission requirements.”
Leading the light jet segment
Cessna created and continues to lead the light jet segment, with more than 4,900 light jets around the world, offering customers the broadest range of products on the market. From the popular entry level Citation Mustang and Citation M2 jets, to the upgraded efficiency and comfort of the CJ3+ and the top performing CJ4, Cessna’s Citation family of light business jets has evolved to offer a range of capabilities, systems and options unmatched in its class.
Cessna’s Citation series of jets are the most popular line of business jets ever produced, with more than 6,900 jets that have been designed, manufactured and delivered to customers around the world. Citations are the largest fleet of business jets in the world and have surpassed 31 million flight hours.
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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 service network. For more information, visit txtav.com.
About Africair, Inc.
Africair is the largest Cessna Aircraft Company distributor in the world. As Cessna’s exclusive Authorized Sales Representative for 48 countries in and around Africa, we distribute the entire Cessna product line, from the Cessna single engine piston Skyhawk to the fastest general aviation aircraft in the world, the Citation X.Cessna has manufactured more general aviation aircraft than any other company, and is recognized as the industry leader in safety, reliability, performance and innovation. In addition to selling new and used Cessna aircraft, we provide spare parts, product support, warranty administration, maintenance and technical support, and training coordination for Cessna aircraft owners and operators.
