Textron Aviation's newest products fly south for Latin America debut and demo tours

Textron Aviation, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, this week announced its plans to headline the Latin American Convention & Exhibition (LABACE) in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with its three newest aircraft models – the Citation Latitude, Citation CJ3+ and Beechcraft King Air 250 with Pro Line Fusion avionics system – all of which have certified in the last year. 

“Since our appearance at LABACE last year, we have demonstrated our leadership in certifying and bringing new products to market, which is evidenced by the debut this year of the Citation Latitude, Citation CJ3+ and Beechcraft King Air 250 with Pro Line Fusion,” said Bob Gibbs, vice president, Sales, Latin America and Caribbean, Textron Aviation. “With the breadth of the product portfolio offered by Textron Aviation, operators throughout the region can be assured that virtually any mission need can be satisfied by Beechcraft or Cessna products.”

Citation Latitude sets the standard for performance in the midsize segment

Leading the way for Textron Aviation is the newly certified Citation Latitude. With a range of 2,850 nautical miles, the aircraft boasts exceptional mission capability. The Latitude’s flat floor and six feet of cabin height affords the most open, spacious, bright and refined cabin environment in the midsize category. Combined with its midsize acquisition price and low operating costs, the Latitude provides unmatched value and comfort for customers in its class. 

Innovation abounds with unique features designed throughout the aircraft.

Cessna’s Clairity™ cabin-technology system provides productive connectivity and entertainment to each passenger through their personal electronic devices. Improving cabin comfort for passengers and crew alike, the Latitude features a new cabin cooling system and a new pressurization system, which provides a 5,950-foot cabin altitude at the aircraft’s maximum operating altitude of 45,000 feet. With standard seating configurations, the Latitude can comfortably accommodate up to nine passengers.

Since receiving certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in June, the Latitude has been on an extensive demonstration tour showcasing its performance capabilities. In the last three months, the aircraft has completed its first trans-Pacific, trans-Atlantic and U.S. coast-to-coast missions. The Latitude will continue expanding its international access and visibility with additional stops throughout Latin America following the show, as well as tours planned in the Europe, Middle East and Asia regions later this year. 

Citation CJ3+ advances company’s leadership position in light jet segment

Following its recent Brazilian certification, the Citation CJ3+ is also making its Latin America debut at LABACE and will be on tour in the region through the end of August. The Citation CJ3+ gained initial certification from the FAA in September, less than six months after its market introduction in March 2014. The CJ3+ is one of five new Citations to be introduced into the market in the last two years, contributing to Cessna’s strong business jet investment and delivery performance.

Cessna created and continues to lead the light jet segment, giving customers the widest product range on the market. From the popular entry-level Citation Mustang and Citation M2 jets, to the upgraded efficiency and comfort of the CJ3+ and the top performing CJ4, Cessna’s Citation CJ family of light business jets has evolved to offer a range of capabilities, systems and options unmatched in its class.

Along with the CJ3+, the Citation M2, which is the best-selling business jet in its class, and the top performing Citation CJ4 are also on display at LABACE. 

Beechcraft King Air avionics advancements strengthen platform

The Beechcraft King Air 250 equipped with the new Pro Line Fusion avionics system and cabin upgrades is making its Latin America debut this week at LABACE, followed by a demonstration tour throughout Latin America. The upgraded aircraft last month received FAA type certification for deliveries to commence this quarter. Pro Line Fusion for the King Air brings one of the most trusted avionics architectures to the first full touch-screen flight display system. The new avionics system enhances how operators aviate, navigate and communicate through a one-of-a-kind intuitive flight deck interface. Certification for the Pro Line Fusion-equipped King Air 350i/ER is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of this year, followed by the King Air C90GTx in the first half of 2016.

Also on display at the company’s LABACE exhibit is the Cessna Grand Caravan EX featuring its class-leading standard interior, which includes an all-new lightweight seat frame, durable upholstery and enhanced ergonomics for unmatched comfort. This year the company is celebrating the Caravan’s 30th anniversary marking three decades as the most reliable and versatile single-engine utility turboprop on the market. Since its first delivery in 1985, the fleet has been certified in 100 countries and has succeeded 13 million flight hours.

“Our King Airs and Caravans continue to be leaders in Latin America with more than 1,600 of these aircraft utilized throughout the region in a variety of missions such as utility, VIP transport, surveillance, cargo and air ambulance,” said Gibbs. “The versatility and flexibility of these platforms allow our customers to operate with heavy payloads out of short, unimproved runways like many found throughout Brazil and Latin America.” 

Additional aircraft on display at Textron Aviation’s LABACE exhibit include

the Cessna Citation XLS+, Beechcraft Baron and Cessna TTx.

Image: Cessna Citation Latitude