News Releases
Cessna Citations to Transport Athletes to Special Olympics USA National Games
WICHITA, Kan., July 13, 2010 - For the next two Saturdays in Lincoln, Nebraska, a Cessna Citation business jet will land or take off every two minutes for 10 hours as part of the Special Olympics USA National Games, transporting some 800 athletes from around the country to compete. The airlift, the sixth such quadrennial effort, is sponsored and managed by Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company.
"For these world-class athletes, the airlift is their only means of transportation and the only way for them to have the opportunity to compete as world-class athletes," said Charles Cooper, president and CEO of the 2010 Special Olympics USA National Games. "Arriving and departing on Cessna Citations is one of the most exciting experiences these athletes will have during the week of the games."
More than a year of planning has been done by hundreds of individuals at Cessna, the Federal Aviation Administration, Lincoln Municipal Airport officials, Lincoln fixed-base operators, volunteers from the Lincoln business community and the Special Olympics organization, said Cessna Chairman, President and CEO Jack J. Pelton.
"None of this would be possible without the time, resources and philanthropic spirit of these individuals as well as the Citation owners and operators who donated their airplanes, pilots and fuel to transport athletes and coaches to the USA National Games," Pelton said.
"Because of the generous contributions from our Citation customers, more athletes can participate and they arrive rested and ready to compete in their events," Pelton said. "From all of us involved with the airlift, we wish these athletes the best of luck in their competition."
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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.





