Textron Aviation announces order from Fly Alliance for up to 20 Cessna Citation business jets

ORLANDO, Fla. (October 18, 2022) – Textron Aviation today announced during the National Business Aviation Association’s Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) that it has entered into a purchase agreement with Fly Alliance for up to 20 Cessna Citation business jets, four firm with options for 16 additional aircraft. Fly Alliance will use the aircraft for its luxury private jet charter operations and expects to take delivery of the first aircraft, an XLS Gen2, in 2023.

Cessna Citation business jets are designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company.

“This order is an important step in Textron Aviation’s continued relationship with Alliance Aviation Group, now Fly Alliance,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior vice president, Global Sales and Flight Operations, Textron Aviation. “Fly Alliance set out with the goal of improving the private charter experience, so it only makes sense to bring the Citation XLS Gen2 into their fleet. It’s the latest version of our popular midsize jet that features comfort and productivity upgrades while retaining the model’s winning combination of performance and efficiencies.”

Fly Alliance, headquartered in Orlando, Florida, offers jet card and on-demand Part 135 charter services as well as maintenance, parts, sales and acquisitions. Fly Alliance’s fleet of managed and charter aircraft are based in Orlando, Stuart, Palm Beach and Miami, Florida, as well as Providence, Rhode Island. The company's fleet includes six Hawker 800XP aircraft. This will be their first Citation.

“The Fly Alliance acquisition of up to 20 brand new aircraft from Textron Aviation expands our product offering to our members and customers,” said Kevin Wargo, CEO of Alliance Aviation Group. “This is an excellent path to building our fleet size to 100 aircraft in the years to come.”

The Cessna Citation XLS Gen2 is the latest model of the Citation 560XL midsize business jet series, which began with the introduction of the Citation Excel in 1998. More than 1,000 560XLs have been delivered throughout the past 25 years. Business owners, fractional owners and charter operators have consistently chosen the Citation 560XL series more than any other aircraft in the midsize category since its introduction.

Textron Aviation first unveiled plans for the Citation XLS Gen2 during the October 2021 National Business Aviation Association - Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, representing Textron Aviation’s continuing commitment to enhance and redesign aircraft around customer needs. The company achieved Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certification and began deliveries in May 2022 of the upgraded version, which was shaped by extensive customer feedback and focused on technology and design.

Among the Citation XLS Gen2 updates are:

- A new lighted airstair door to elevate the aircraft’s ramp presence

- Addition of an entry curtain for inclement weather protection on the ground and improved cabin acoustics

in flight

- Improved cabin lighting with new accent lights and control interfaces

- Elegant styling and materials throughout the interior

- New pedestal seat design enhances passenger comfort with individual controls

- Optional quilting on seats

- Forward couch features an optional fold-down capability, which allows passengers to access more baggage

in flight

- State-of-the-art intuitive wireless cabin management system with a touchscreen moving map monitor

- Wireless charging

- USB charging ports at each cabin seat

- Optional Bongiovi Immersive speaker-less sound system 

The Citation XLS Gen2 equips operators with speeds of up to 441 knots (817 kilometers/ hour) with a maximum range of 2,100 nautical miles (3,889 kilometers), a takeoff field length of 3,600 feet (1,097 meters) and climbs to 45,000 feet (13,716 meters) in 30 minutes. While maintaining key performance specifications, the XLS Gen2 also includes increased payload capabilities and meets Stage 5 maximum noise level requirements.

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We inspire the journey of flight. For more than 95 years, Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. company, has empowered our collective talent across the Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands to design and deliver the best aviation experience for our customers. With a range that includes everything from business jets, turboprops, and high-performance pistons, to special mission, military trainer and defense products, Textron Aviation has the most versatile and comprehensive aviation product portfolio in the world and a workforce that has produced more than half of all general aviation aircraft worldwide. Customers in more than 170 countries rely on our legendary performance, reliability and versatility, along with our trusted global customer service network, for affordable and flexible flight. 

For more information, visit www.txtav.com  |  www.defense.txtav.com  |  www.scorpionjet.com.

Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, 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, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training. For more information, visit: www.textron.com

Fly Alliance is an Orlando, Florida-based aircraft management, sales, charter and maintenance company with additional operations in Stuart, Palm Beach and Miami, Florida, as well as Providence, Rhode Island. The Fly Alliance brand was formed in 2019 for Alliance Aviation Group and its companies.

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements which may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, changes in aircraft delivery schedules or cancellations or deferrals of orders.