Textron Aviation features versatile product lineup at Airshow China 2016

Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, opens the Airshow China 2016 highlighting its impressive lineup of industry-leading aircraft, including the regional debut of the Cessna Citation Latitude. Also on display will be a specially-configured Beechcraft King Air 350ER and Cessna Grand Caravan EX.

“Textron Aviation is committed to strengthening its product line and enhancing product support for our customers in China,” said Bill Schultz, senior vice president, Business Development, China. “As the Chinese general aviation industry continues to grow, there is increasing demand for aircraft with versatility, reliability and performance to service business. As the only manufacturer offering a broad portfolio of jet, turboprop and piston aircraft, Textron Aviation is meeting China’s demand for general aviation solutions.”

Citation investment and leadership

Since the Latitude achieved its first delivery last August, it has experienced an outstanding market reception with 40 aircraft delivered through the end of third quarter 2016, making it the best-selling aircraft in its class. Following successful demonstration tours in Asia-Pacific in 2015 and in China this year, the Latitude earned high marks from owners and operators looking for exceptional performance capabilities and maximum comfort at a midsize acquisition price.

With a flat floor and six feet (1.83 meters) of cabin height, the Citation Latitude affords the most open, spacious, bright and refined cabin environment in the midsize category. With a maximum range of 5,278 kilometers (2,850 nautical miles) and class-leading cabin comfort and ownership costs, the Latitude is an ideal platform for the region. With standard seating configurations, the Latitude can comfortably accommodate up to nine passengers.

The Citation Latitude is representative of the company’s continued product investment and leadership as the first of the company’s larger three-aircraft Citation family that also includes the super-midsize Citation Longitude business jet, which successfully accomplished its first flight in October, and the large cabin Citation Hemisphere targeted to fly in 2019.

Since Cessna delivered its first Citation in 1972, the Citation brand continues to set the standard in the business jet market. Cessna’s Citation series of jets is the most popular line of business jets ever produced, with more than 7,000 jets delivered to customers around the world. Citations are the largest fleet of business jets in the world and have surpassed 31 million flight hours.

Turboprop versatility meets China’s increasing needs

With over 1,000 aircraft in the Asia-Pacific region, Beechcraft and Cessna’s turboprop platforms lead the market. The Beechcraft King Air and Cessna Grand Caravan EX have proven to be ideally suited to the region’s needs, due to their ample range, solid load capacity and flexible capabilities.

The displayed Beechcraft King Air 350ER has a specially configured interior which shows the ability to configure the King Air for commuter seating, aero medical evacuation, flight inspection and weather modification. The King Air 350ER is frequently selected for these missions due to its high dash speeds, long endurance, high reliability and low operating cost. Featuring the Pro Line Fusion avionics system, it received certification from both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) within the last year.

Another favorite among private and commercial operators in the region, the Cessna Grand Caravan EX allows for extended missions and higher payload which, like the King Air 350ER, perfectly operates special platforms such as air ambulance, flight inspection, cargo, parachute and float plane.

Dedicated to China and the APAC region

Textron Aviation, with two joint ventures in China - one in Zhuhai for the Citation XLS+ and the other in Shijiazhuang for the Grand Caravan EX, continues to address the Chinese customer needs. With a robust network of nearly 40 Textron Aviation authorized service facilities, including nine in China, the company is dedicated to supporting its customers throughout the APAC region. In addition, Textron Aviation has a dedicated parts depot in Singapore, as well as a team of expert service technicians in country offering maintenance, inspections, parts, repairs, refurbishments and other specialized services.