Wed, May 13, 2009
Cessna's increasingly outspoken (and rightfully so)
Chairman/President/CEO, Jack Pelton continues to make great sense
in talking about and dealing with aviation's global malaise. Pelton
advises that, 'today the current meltdown in business aviation
activity, while the most profound in many years, is best kept in
perspective when discussing the global role of business aviation
and of Cessna.'
“Rather than focus on what we aren’t producing,
Cessnans have chosen to focus on what we are producing. It is true
that we will not produce at the levels anticipated a year ago, but
we are going to deliver about 300 Citations in 2009, slightly fewer
than in 2010, and these are numbers that in years past would have
been cause for celebration,” Pelton said. “We will
spend about the same percentage of revenue in 2009 on new product
and new feature development, and we will spend it on satisfying
customer requirements for existing products in existing markets. We
will continue to improve our global customer service network
– already second to none in the industry – and make it
even more responsive to the customer.”
Pelton’s comments came on the opening day of EBACE in
Geneva. As a counterpoint, Cessna delivered more business jets and
more propeller aircraft in the first three months of 2009 than any
other company, according to figures just released by GAMA. Cessna
delivered 69 Citations and 66 propeller aircraft (piston and
turboprop) in the first quarter and reported revenues of $769
million.
“We have an 80-year tradition, we have a loyal customer
base, and, while we have lost many good employees since November,
we still have some of the industry’s top people making up the
Cessna family,” Pelton continued.
At EBACE, Cessna has been making a number of news
announcements including new initiatives in customer service and
several program updates.
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