50 Years On, The Largest Bizjet Fleet in the Business Maintains Pole Position

Textron Aviation announced the delivery of its 8,000th Cessna Citation bizjet after 50 years on the market. The completed aircraft went to Scotts Miracle-Gro, a household name in lawn care, as the 5th Citation in their company fleet. 

The Citation series has grown to be a leading brand in the business jet category since introduction in 1972, eventually expanding in number to become the largest bizjet fleet in the world. The Cessna's namesake, Citation, was a champion American thoroughbred that broke racing history by winning the American Triple Crown. The milestone would make the horse proud to be such a widespread household name half a century after his passing - or not, he was a horse, after all. The Citation grew to encompass a range of body styles and passenger capacities, from the initial Citation I through VII, the X, and the compact Mustang. Today, the lineup includes a range of jets suited to carry up to a dozen passengers in comfort and privacy with reliable, affordable (for a jet, that is) operation. 

“A milestone like this wouldn’t be possible without all the owners and operators who love to fly our aircraft and trust the reliability and versatility of our Citation products. With more than 41 million flight hours across the globe, our customers continue to make Citation jets their aircraft of choice,” said Textron Aviation CEO Ron Draper. “I also want to thank our extraordinary workforce. Each and every one of you played a part in reaching the 8,000th Citation delivery.”

"The Citation is one of the most functional and reliable brands in the general aviation industry and I, along with the members of our flight department, congratulate Textron Aviation on the delivery of its 8,000 Citation aircraft," said Jim Hagedorn, chief executive officer of Scotts Miracle-Gro and proud new owner of the spiffy gray Citation CJ4. A former U.S. Air Force F-16 pilot, he understands the level of quality and enjoyability inherent to the Citation. "Reaching this milestone is a credit to the Cessna brand, which represents quality, design and attention to the entire flying experience — all things we were looking for as we add to our fleet of business jets."

FMI:www.cessna.txtav.com