Cessna Brings New Model

After drastically scaling back their NBAA participation after the 9/11 attacks, Wichita's Big Three manufacturers will show up in force this week, as the NBAA annual extravaganza kicks off in Orlando (FL).

"There's a real buzz at the show," said Jackie Berger, a spokeswoman for Raytheon. "I think we're all looking forward to that."

More than 100 aircraft will be on static display at Orlando, where "We expect NBAA to be a very good, positive show," Cessna spokeswoman Jessica Myers said in an interview with the Wichita Eagle. There are signs the economy is improving, she said. Business jet sales tend to lag the general economy by several months, so Wichita manufacturers think they'll see an upturn in the industry in 2005.

Cessna Aircraft Co. will have one of the show's biggest announcements. It is expected to announce a new business jet at a press conference Monday -- the day before the show's official opening. Speculation is that the jet will be a derivative of Cessna's fastest business jet -- the Citation X (right).

Not only will the country's aviation manufacturers be there. So will be the manufacturers whose customers are... manufacturers. An example is Matrix Aviation, one of almost 20 Wichita-area suppliers that will have a booth at the convention (among 1067 currently on the roster). The company does more networking than outright sales at the show, but then, that might be expected. "It's an opportunity to reconnect with customers face-to-face rather then over the phone," Matrix president and chief executive Wayne Grossardt said.

FMI: www.nbaa.org