GENEVA, Switzerland, May 3, 2010 - Jack J. Pelton, chairman, president and CEO of Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, spoke today of the business jet industry returning to life in Europe.

Speaking at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland, Pelton said: “Levels of interest in our aircraft are definitely beginning to pick up and, while the recovery may be slow, there are reasons for optimism.

“Europe is arguably the most diverse region in the world for business aviation. There are established major markets like Germany and the UK, and I’m also optimistic about emerging markets. Before the economic downturn, for example, Eastern Europe was a very strong region for us and we are beginning to see signs – including Citation sales – of that business coming back.

“Europe will undoubtedly remain a growth area for Cessna, driven by the significant advantages that stem from business aviation. We expect the European Union to remain our single largest market outside the U.S. for some time.

“At Cessna we offer a perfect suite of Citation jets for all business aviation needs in Europe. In the current economic situation, European customers are balancing the desire for the time-saving advantages of business aviation with a pragmatic assessment of cost. The Citation Mustang, Citation XLS+, CJ2+ and CJ3, in particular, do well here. And we’re very optimistic about the Citation CJ4 entering the market and offering current Citation owners and operators an opportunity to upgrade.” The CJ4, on show in Europe for the first time at EBACE, is approved for single-pilot operations and shares a common pilot type rating with the other CJ aircraft, so a pilot rated to fly any one of the CJs is rated to fly them all. European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification for the CJ4 is slated for the end of this year.

Cessna is exhibiting at Booth #7091, Hall 7, of the Geneva Palexpo at EBACE. The company’s static display at the event includes the Citation Mustang, Citation CJ1+, Citation CJ2+, Citation CJ3, Citation CJ4, Citation XLS+, Citation Sovereign, Citation X, Grand Caravan and 400 Corvalis TT.

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Cessna is the world's leading general aviation company, based on unit sales, with five major lines of business: Citation business jets, Caravan single-engine turboprops, Cessna single-engine piston aircraft, aftermarket services and lift solutions by CitationAir. In 2009, Cessna delivered 754 aircraft, including 289 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of about $3.3 billion. Since the company was originally established in 1927, more than 192,000 Cessna airplanes have been delivered around the world, including more than 6,000 Citations, making it the largest fleet of business jets in the world. More information about Cessna Aircraft Company is available at www.cessna.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 Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. More information is available at www.textron.com.

Forward-looking Information: Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements and 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 forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the statements, including but not limited to the following: [a] changes in worldwide economic and political conditions that impact demand for our products, interest rates and foreign exchange rates; [b] the interruption of production at our facilities or at our suppliers’ facilities; [c] the timing of new product launches and certifications of new aircraft products; [d] the occurrence of slowdowns or downturns in customer markets in which our products are sold or supplied; [e] changes in aircraft delivery schedules or cancellations or deferrals of orders; [f] the launching of significant new products or programs which could result in unanticipated expenses; [g] changes in national or international government policies on the export and import of commercial products; [h] bankruptcy or other financial or performance problems at major suppliers or subcontractors that could cause disruptions in our supply chain; [i] continued difficult conditions in the financial markets resulting in adverse impacts to our customers, including difficulty in obtaining financing for the purchase of our products; and [j] continued volatility in the economy resulting in a prolonged downturn in the business jet market.