Event To Be Held In Tampa In Late March

Cessna says it plans to unveil what it says will be the "new star of its piston model line" in a ceremony in Tampa, later today, March 28th. ANN will be there to bring you the highlights, but the word is that Cessna is finally getting ready to get solidly competitive with the highly regarded Corvalis program.

Cessna has an exceptional opportunity to here to reinvigorate an aircraft line that was once one of the few that gave the Cirrus program a real run for its money before the company, then produced under the Columbia banner in Bend OR, fell on hard times, bankrupted, and was ultimately sold to the Wichita GA manufacturing leader.

Now, though, the shoe seems to be on the other foot as Cirrus has fallen on hard times as well, and is positioning itself to be sold to a Chinese concern... much to the consternation of much of the Cirrus community. Since taking the reins of the Cirrus empire from an ousted Alan Klapmeier, the Cirrus program under current CEO Brent Wouters, has fallen into disrepute and was rumored to be on the verge of bankruptcy when the CAIGA purchase proposal was announced. While Cirrus blames their hard times on the extremely tough financial markets in force for the last couple of years, others blame Cirrus's difficulties on mismanagement, questionable corporate conduct, and less than honest business practices that have harmed the company's rep and created great hardship for vendors, customers, depositors and others.

A flyer announcing the unveiling ceremony sent to ANN indicates that the unveiling will "mark a new era of technological advancement for Cessna piston aircraft." The event will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Tampa from 1900 - 2200.

FMI: www.cessna.com