PARIS, France (June 15, 2015) – Cessna Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, will debut a newly-configured Cessna Grand Caravan EX demonstrator at this week’s Paris Airshow. The aircraft features a variety of special mission applications, such as a surveillance console and a medical stretcher, as well as a variety of cabin and seating configurations, including newly designed light-weight production seats in a half club configuration and a stowable utility seat.
“With a high percentage of our Caravan sales going into special mission roles around the world, this platform has proven to be a truly versatile multi-tasker,” said Dan Keady, vice president, Special Missions. “Having a fully equipped special missions Grand Caravan EX demonstrator in the market allows our customers to experience firsthand the extensive range of capabilities available on this platform.”
The Grand Caravan EX is particularly well suited for a wide array of operations due to its spacious cabin, high useful load of more than 3,500 lbs. (1,588 kg), large cargo door and the ability to operate from short, unimproved surfaces. These aircraft have proven to be successful in a variety of special mission applications, including aerial survey, air ambulance, paratrooper, amphibious operations, surveillance, training and utility/transport. The Grand Caravan EX can also be manufactured with structural provisions for two hard points on each wing, allowing the aircraft to be configured for missions that require armament.
The demonstrator aircraft is making its global debut through the year with appearances scheduled in Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.
About the Grand Caravan EX
The dependable and versatile Grand Caravan EX is counted on for its exceptional and efficient performance by companies and individuals around the world. The powerful 867shp power plant offers improved climb rates and cruise speeds and increased performance in demanding hot and high environments and floatplane operations.
About Textron Aviation Inc.
Textron Aviation Inc. is the leading general aviation authority and home to the iconic Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands, which account for more than half of all general aviation aircraft flying. The Textron Aviation companies include Cessna Aircraft Company and Beechcraft Corporation, bringing together decades of unmatched experience in designing, building and supporting airplanes. It provides the most versatile and comprehensive general aviation product portfolio in the world through five principal lines of business: business jets, general aviation and special mission turboprop aircraft, high performance piston aircraft, military trainer and defense aircraft, and a complete global customer service organization. Its broad range of products include such best-selling aircraft as Citation and Hawker business jets, King Air and Caravan turboprops and T-6 military trainer aircraft, all of which are backed by the industry’s largest global service network. For more information, visit txtav.com.
About Africair, Inc.
Africair is the largest Cessna Aircraft Company distributor in the world. As Cessna’s exclusive Authorized Sales Representative for 48 countries in and around Africa, we distribute the entire Cessna product line, from the Cessna single engine piston Skyhawk to the fastest general aviation aircraft in the world, the Citation X.Cessna has manufactured more general aviation aircraft than any other company, and is recognized as the industry leader in safety, reliability, performance and innovation. In addition to selling new and used Cessna aircraft, we provide spare parts, product support, warranty administration, maintenance and technical support, and training coordination for Cessna aircraft owners and operators.
