Textron Aviation

Textron Aviation, parent company of Cessna Aircraft, said yesterday that its new super-midsize business jet, the Citation Longitude, has received its type certification from the FAA. Agency type certification paves the way for deliveries of the new airplane to begin. The Longitude’s certification follows the most robust flight, structural and component qualification testing completed on […]

There will always be a soft spot in my heart whenever I see an ancient Cessna Citation sitting unnoticed by most on an FBO ramp. The CE-500 was the first type rating I ever added to my ATP certificate a few decades ago. While the cockpit, indeed the entire aircraft, appear rather ancient by today’s […]

With the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) and its location in Wichita—known as the Air Capital—Wichita State University has built a legacy as a leading campus for aerospace-related studies. Now, the university plans more growth with the development of its Innovation Campus to act as an incubator for engineering research and career preparation. Industry […]

Textron Aviation last week told audiences at the European Aviation Business Convention and Exhibition in Geneva that the prototype for Cessna’s Denali single-engine turboprop is nearing completion, as are the first two flight and ground test aircraft. The prototype and the first two production conforming aircraft will be used in the flight test program set […]

Textron Aviation last week said both new Beechcraft and Cessna piston aircraft will soon include new standard and optional equipment, part of Garmin’s G1000 NXi next-generation integrated flight deck, providing pilots with enhanced control and connectivity in the cockpit. New equipment includes the latest Garmin GMA 1360 audio panel with enhanced audio capabilities and Bluetooth […]

Michael Graham, Textron Aviation’s director of flight operations safety, security and standardization, was last week nominated to fill the remainder of the five-year term of retiring member Earl Weener that expires December 21, 2020. Graham, a long-time member of the NBAA’s safety committee where he chairs the single-pilot working group, also serves as the chairman […]

Textron Aviation has added a subsidiary in Canada to increase the support of its growing fleet of aircraft. Textron Aviation Canada will bring service to the area with a direct connection to the parent company, just as the Textron Aviation global service network has done. As part of the establishment of Textron Aviation Canada, the […]

Fractional giant NetJets reaffirmed its strong commitment to the Cessna brand by inking a massive deal with Textron Aviation for options to purchase up to 175 super-midsize Cessna Citation Longitude jets and up to 150 large-cabin Cessna Citation Hemisphere aircraft. If all options are exercised, the deal would be one of the largest in business […]

There are two successful business strategies an aircraft manufacturer might follow when creating a new product. One assumes the new airplane is so innovative that it will create its own market. In the other, an OEM watches a specific market develop until the day it’s ready to launch a competing aircraft, a machine incorporating lessons […]

Textron Aviation said its integrated terrain awareness and warning system (iTAWS) is now standard equipment on Collins Pro Line Fusion-equipped Beechcraft King Air 350i/ER turboprops. The new iTAWS works side by side with the Fusion’s synthetic vision system adding aural and visual warnings that appear on primary flight and multi-function cockpit displays. The integration effort […]