Oshkosh, Wis., July 24, 2007 – Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today that orders for its newly announced SkyCatcher light sport aircraft have topped 400 in the first two days of the Experimental Aircraft Association annual meeting, AirVenture 2007.
“Orders in the first two days have been outstanding and support our business decision to enter this booming new market,” said Jack. J. Pelton, Cessna chairman, president and CEO. “The combination of new technology in the Garmin avionics suite and lighter-weight Continental engine, and Cessna’s reputation for high quality production and world-class product support are proving to be the right mix sought by people looking for a low-cost aircraft option.
“The tremendous response by the market has prompted us to extend our introductory price of $109,500 to the end of AirVenture,” Pelton said.
Cessna originally announced it was studying an LSA entry at the 2006 AirVenture in Oshkosh, unveiling a proof-of-concept aircraft used as a flying testbed and to gauge market response. The company announced July 10 it would proceed with development of a new LSA product, and unveiled the SkyCatcher at a press conference this past Sunday.
Details and ordering information for the new Cessna SkyCatcher can be found at www.cessnaskycatcher.com or by contacting a local Cessna dealer.
Based on unit sales, Cessna Aircraft Company is the world's largest manufacturer of general aviation airplanes. In 2006, Cessna delivered 1,239 aircraft, including 307 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of about $4.2 billion and a backlog of $8.5 billion. Since the company was originally established in 1927, more than 189,000 Cessna airplanes have been delivered to nearly every country in the world. The global fleet of almost 5,000 Citations is the largest fleet of business jets in the world. More information about Cessna Aircraft Company is available at www.cessna.com.
Textron Inc. is an $11 billion multi-industry company operating in 32 countries with approximately 40,000 employees. The company leverages its global network of aircraft, 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, Fluid & Power, Textron Systems and Textron Financial Corporation. More information is available at www.textron.com.
