Business & Finance
Business and Finance
Business and Finance 
Thu, February 5, 2009
Wed, February 4, 2009
Note to Editors: Cessna CEO Joins Mesa Mayor to Open New Jet Center
WICHITA, Kan.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, will officially mark the opening of its new Citation Service Center at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on Thursday, Feb. 5 at 1 p.m. Joining Cessna Chairman, President and CEO Jack J. Pelton will be Mesa Mayor Scott Smith and a host of Cessna operators who will be using the new facility.
Cessna's Pelton will be available for media interviews prior to the event.
The Mesa Citation Service Center, opened last month, is part of Cessna's global network of nine company-owned service centers and more than 30 authorized service facilities around the world. The group forms one of the most comprehensive business aircraft service networks in the world. Cessna is consistently ranked near the top of the industry in third-party customer support surveys, one of the factors supporting Cessna's continued leadership in annual business jet deliveries.
The Mesa facility replaces a smaller service center in Long Beach, Calif. The Mesa facility employs 77 people, many of whom have been hired from the Mesa area. The Service Center has already developed a partnership with Chandler-Gilbert Community College with five current students attending on Cessna scholarships. Two current employees are CGCC graduates who are former scholarship winners. Mesa's general manager, Randall Soutiere is now on the Advisory Board at CGCC.
The company constructed a new 101,000-square foot facility that includes 62,400 square feet of hangar space along with office and backshop areas. Cessna has developed 12 acres of its tract flanking three 10,000-foot runways and a 124,800-square foot aircraft ramp, leaving room for expansion as needed.
About Cessna
Based on unit sales, Cessna Aircraft Company is the world's largest manufacturer of general aviation airplanes. In 2008, Cessna delivered 1,301 aircraft, including 467 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of about $5.662 billion. Cessna has a backlog of $14.5 billion as of December 31, 2008. Since the company was originally established in 1927, some 192,000 Cessna airplanes have been delivered around the world, including more than 5,700 Citations, making it the largest fleet of business jets in the world. More information about Cessna Aircraft Company is available at [ http://www.cessna.com ].
About Textron
Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) is a $14.2 billion multi-industry company operating in 28 countries with approximately 42,000 employees. The company leverages its global network of aircraft, defense 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, Textron Systems and Textron Financial Corporation. More information is available at [ www.textron.com ].