B/CA Show News - NBAA 2007 Day 1 - (Page 112) N B A A 2 0 07 ON THE RECORD— Jack Pelton, Chairman, President and CEO, Cessna Aircraft Cessna Works Both Ends of Aviation “We’ve moved downmarket with our Citation jets, and we’re preparing to move upmarket,” says Cessna Aircraft chairman, president and CEO Jack Pelton. And beyond the $2.52 million Mustang (350 orders) and the “large cabin concept” that’s emerging as Cessna’s new flagship, in addition to several important new intermediate models, the company is improving its worldwide service network. Cessna is aggressively expanding and refining its singleengine piston line, too, adding the new SkyCatcher sportplane, investigating diesel engines, and developing a next-generation piston concept. Cessna is also announcing an order worth more than $600 million for 30 Citation X jets from California’s XOJet. “The momentum that we saw in 2006 is continuing in 2007, essentially across the board,” Pelton says. “We have seen continued growth. We have increased our backlogs even more than we did in 2006.” The figure is about $10.5 billion now, he says, up from $8.5 billion two years ago. “We’re essentially sold out for 2008,” Pelton says. Citations ordered today will be delivered in late 2009 or early 2010. “In 2006 we delivered 306 business jets. This year we’re going to deliver 380.” That includes 44 Mustangs, Cessna’s new $2.52 million light jet. Mustang milestones this year have included European (including steep approach) certification, and, just this month, the first delivery in Europe. Europe accounts for one-third of Mustang orders. On the high end, Cessna is rapidly defining the Large Cabin Concept introduced at NBAA 2006. “We are aggressively spending on the program to get to a launch,” Pelton says. “We’re now in the phase of completing the deThe 5,000th Citation X marked a major milestone for Cessna. tails of our business case swept wing and Williams Aircraft Engines. Thielert is active so we can go to the marFJ44-4A with FADEC, primarily in Europe, and in March ket at the beginning of is scheduled to fly next it secured a U.S. STC for retro2008.” year. The $8 million CJ4 fitting the Cessna 172. Cessna has selected Beyond their economics, diesel will carry seven or eight Rockwell Collins avionpassengers when it en- engines are attractive because there ics and Pratt & Whitney Cessna’s Jack Pelton. ters service in the first is a far greater chance they will in engines for the new aircraft, which is to seat nine and have half of 2010. Cessna claims more the future be powered with fuel made from renewable resources, a range of 4,000 nmi and Mach 0.8 than 120 orders for the CJ4. Pelton says he spends nearly half Pelton says. Biodiesel, made mostly cruise. Pricing and a name will be re- of his time on the smaller aircraft from soy, is becoming popular in the vealed early next year. “We will have that make Cessna, by unit count, the U.S., and developers as far afield as 245 people on the program by year- world’s largest GA aircraft manu- India and Brazil are working on facturer, with 1,239 deliveries in making it from such nonfood crops end,” Pelton told Show News. Cessna reported the first flight 2006. Cessna’s piston singles con- as jatropha and the even more obof the Citation XLS+ in early stitute a significant business unto scure babassu (palm oil). The Cessna chief notes that for August, stating that the $11.6 mil- themselves, but they also provide two years running now, his sales lion airplane “will continue the synergy for the Citation jet line. “We’re concerned about the de- have shifted from a historical 70% tradition of the Excel and XLS as the most affordable stand-up cabin clining number of new pilots,” North American market dominance business jet.” Some 575 predeces- Pelton says, which is a major reason to about 50-50. Growth is particusor aircraft have been delivered, and Cessna launched the Model 162 larly strong in Europe, including they’ve logged nearly 1.2 million SkyCatcher LSA (light sport air- Eastern Europe and Russia, and craft) at Oshkosh this past summer Latin America, with Asia coming on flight hours. The brand-new CJ4, with a (Cessna said two weeks later that as well (Cessna is reporting orders newly engineered, moderately orders had reached 720, worth more for the CJ2+, Encore+ and the new XLS+ from China and Japan here than $75 million). First flight of the 162 SkyCatcher this week). Cessna is thus boosting its inis slated for next year, deliveries are to begin in 2009, and production is ternational services, with new “Don’t forget the Caravan,” says Cessna chief Jack Pelton. “We’re expected to reach 700 units annu- personnel at locations including going to ramp up to 120 per year,” he told Show News prior to ally. Also at Oshkosh, Cessna said Dubai and Farnborough. “We’re NBAA 2007, noting that the previous record for the $1.8 million workit would decide by year-end to move expanding all of our capabilities,” horse turboprop twin was 86. forward with its next-generation pis- Pelton says, pointing too to a The Model 208 Caravan has been available for some years now with ton concept with human factors/ planned doubling by year-end to Oasis executive interior from Cessna’s Wichita neighbor Yingling Aviaergonomic cockpit and increased 100,000 sq ft of the company’s sheet tion. Now it’s being made available with Garmin G1000 glass cockpit. metal and wire assembly facility in use of composite structures. The G1000, which is standard in the Mustang VLJ, is also available Also to help attract younger, Chihuahua, Mexico, and a new in the Skyhawk piston single, while the Garmin G300 is standard in the less-moneyed pilots, Cessna is $20 million Citation service center new SkyCatcher light sport aircraft. experimenting with diesel en- at the Williams Gateway Airport “From a pilot’s standpoint,” Pelton says, “it makes for a great path gines, forging an agreement in (IWA) in Mesa, Ariz., that’s to open of familiarity and easy transition.” June with Germany’s Thielert in early 2009. —Rich Piellisch “Don’t Forget the Caravan” 112 September 25, 2007 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews
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