News
Cessna Citation XLS+ to enter service this quarter

July 14, 2008, Farnborough, U.K. – With Federal Aviation
Administration type certification in hand, Cessna Aircraft Company, a
Textron Inc. company, is moving toward first delivery of
the Citation XLS+ by the end of the third quarter.

The order book tops 225 – with 70 bound for Europe – for the XLS+, an upgrade to the mid-size XLS that is on exhibit this week at the Farnborough International Airshow. With a global fleet of nearly 650 planes and more than 1.4 million flight hours, the Excel/XLS is the world’s best-selling business jet model. More than 160 have already been delivered to Europe.

Cessna received FAA certification for the XLS+ on May 30 following a 640-hour flight test program.  Their European Aviation Safety Agency certification is in progress and expected by early 2009.

The XLS+ features the fully integrated Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite and electronically controlled (FADEC) engines from Pratt & Whitney Canada. All current production Citations employ new generation turbofan engines, which meet or exceed the most stringent noise requirements and allow Cessna’s line of business jets to be among the most fuel efficient and achieve some of the lowest emissions in the industry.

Exterior and interior restyling is also integrated into the new model, most prominently the extended contour of the nose and expanded seat widths, both introduced to more closely resemble Cessna’s Citation X and Citation Sovereign models. The Citation XLS+ travels as fast as 815 kilometres per hour (440 knots) with a range of more than 3,441 kilometres (1,858 nautical miles).

Based on unit sales, Cessna Aircraft Company is the world's largest manufacturer of general aviation airplanes. In 2007, Cessna delivered 1,272 aircraft, including 387 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of about $5 billion. Cessna has a current backlog of $14.5 billion. Since the company was originally established in 1927, some 190,000 Cessna airplanes have been delivered to nearly every country in the world. The global fleet of more than 5,100 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 a $13.2 billion multi-industry company operating in 34 countries with approximately 44,000 employees. The company leverages its global network of aircraft, defence and intelligence, 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 .