Cessna

                Cessna is an American Textron subsidiary that exists since more than a century. Its first apparition was on June 1911 when Clyde Cessna, a farmer in Rago, Kansas built and flew his own wooden aircraft between the Mississippi river and the Rocky Mountains. He was the first person to do so. He then moved to Oklahoma where he tested many of his passed creations. Bankers refused to lend him money to build his planes, so he came back to Kansas, in Wichita, which is where the Cessna Company is installed today.

                In 1927, Clyde Cessna and Victor Roos create the Cessna-Roos Aircraft Company, but one month later, Roos left the company, which was renamed Cessna Aircraft Company. In August 1928, the Cessna “AW” began production. Then came the Cessna DC-6, certified on October 29, 1929. The following aircraft was the CG-2 training glider created in 1930. In 1932, the Great Depression had fully affected the Cessna Aircraft Company, and it closed down. However, in 1934, Dwane and Dwight Wallace took control of the company and re-opened it. Together they brought the company to global success.

                It is then that in 1934, work on the C-34, and in 1935 and 1936 the aircraft won the Detroit News Trophy Race for the “World’s Most Efficient Airplane”. Cessna was awarded the permanent possession of the trophy. The C-37 was Cessna’s first sea plane, which was introduced in 1937. The following year, it was replaced by the C-38.

                March 26, 1939 was the date of the first flight of the T-50, Cessna’s first twin engine aircraft. The U.S. Army Cessna their largest order to date, signing a contract for 33 military equipped Cessna T-50s. Later in the year, the Royal Canadian Air Force signed a new contract for Cessna, ordering 180 T-50s. As the company became more and more successful, in 1942, Cessna bought 110 acres of land near Hutchinson, Kansas, directly next to the airport. In 30 days, a 108, 000 sq. feet facility was built. This helped the company return to commercial production after the revocation of wartime production restrictions. This “come-back” was marked by the release of the Model 120 and Model 140 in 1945-46. It was the first time Cessna used a line of all-metal aircraft that used production tools, rather hand built pieces. In July 1947, deliveries of the Model 195, or LC-126, began, and in October of the same year, Cessna delivered the Model 190. The end of the 40’s was a good period for Cessna, who sold 1, 631 aircrafts in 1948, of which 729, were the Model 170.

                In 1950, the Army Field Forces and the Army Air Force ordered 400 Model 305As, later designated as L-19, using them as a single-engine liaison airplane. During the 50’s Cessna tested different aircrafts, and created several test models. October 12, 1954 was the first flight of the XT-37. In 1955, Cessna introduced their first helicopter, the CH-1. The following year was a great success for the company with the introduction of the well known Cessna 172, and the 182. The U.S. Air Force ordered 170 Model 172.

                In 1965, Cessna introduced two retractable geared airplanes: the Model 337 Super Skymaster, and the 411.  The Agwagon was introduced in 1966. September 15, 1969 was an important date for the Cessna Company. It was the date of the maiden flight of its first business jet, the Cessna Citation I. This aircraft was the first one of the large Citation aircraft family. 

                Cessna founded their nationwide Cessna Pilot Center (CPC) in 1970. The CPC is pilot school that anyone can attend to have their pilot license. It is also part of Cessna’s sale service, in which any time a customer buys a new aircraft, they ensure special training for the aircraft. In December 1971, the Model 340 was certified. At the time, it was the lowest-price twin engine, pressurized aircraft on the market. Then, in 1975, Cessna introduced a twin engine aircraft, with bonded wet wings, and hydraulically actuated landing gear: the Model 421 Golden Eagle. In 1977, Cessna delivered its first Model 501 Citation I, which was the first business jet to be approved for single-pilot operations. In January of the same year, the Citation II prototype executed its maiden flight.

                In 1983, the Model 441, most commonly called the Conquest II was introduced, being the fastest and most fuel-efficient aircraft of its class. Cessna built 234 Conquest I and 359 Conquest II. A new Citation model aircraft was built in 1984: the Citation S/II, with a modified supercritical wing.

                1985 was a completely new year for the Cessna Company, which became a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamic Corporation. The same year, it introduced a new family of aircrafts, the Caravan. The first one was delivered to Federal Express. Two years later, in 1987, a new Citation business jet was introduced at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) as the Citation V. On December 9, 1988, the Citation ultra received the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification.

                In 1992, General Dynamic Corporation announced that Cessna Company would be sold to Textron Inc. Cessna continued its production as before and performed the Citation X’s maiden flight in December 1993. As Cessna becomes more and more modern and technologically advanced, the Citation CJ3 took its first flight in 2003. In 2004, it is the Citation XLS’ introduction, as well as the Citation Sovereign. With the everlasting success of the Citation family, Cessna opens the Orlando Citation Service Center in 2004. On December 9 of the same year, a new Citation Service Center opens in Wichita, Kansas. It the world’s largest general aviation maintenance facility. On October 3, 2005, the Citation CJ2+ gets certification, and August 29, the Citation Mustang takes its maiden flight. This aircraft was awarded type certification by the FAA on September 8, 2006, making it the world’s first fully certified, new-generation, entry level business jet: it is one of Cessna’s greatest successes.

                In 2007, the company continues to expand the Citation family, introducing the new Citation XLS+. In 2009, Cessna opens a new Citation Service Center in Mesa, Arizona. The same year, Cessna also delivered a new single engine propeller aircraft, the Skycathcer. In 2010, it is another Citation comes in: the Citation CJ4; which will also be awarded the type certification from the FAA, a second time for Cessna’s Citation family. The company continues to ameliorate their aircrafts’ performances and in 2011, the Citation CJ2+ sets a new world record for speed. As Cessna expands its boundaries, the Prague Citation Service Center opens in April 2011. In 2012, the Citation X is officially declared to be the world’s fastest aircraft, and a new Citation Service Center opens in Valencia.

                Today, Cessna’s CEO is Scott A. Earnest. He took office on May 31, 2011, after the CEO Jack Pelton retired.