Cessna Flies New Williams Engine Pegged for CJ4

April 3, 2007
Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today flew for the first time the new Williams FJ44-4A engine aboard a Citation test bed aircraft.

Wichita, Kan., April 2, 2007 – Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today flew for the first time the new Williams FJ44-4A engine aboard a Citation test bed aircraft. The Williams FJ44-4A will power the new Citation CJ4 being developed by Cessna as the newest member of the popular CJ line of Citation business jets.

First flight of the CJ4 is scheduled for the first half of 2008 and entry into service is set for the first half of 2010.

"The first flight of the new engine went very well, and performance exceeded our expectations during the 50-minute flight," said CJ4 Program Manager Norm Baker III. "This new Williams engine is going to give our aircraft excellent capability in terms of performance, thrust, fuel economy and aerodynamics."

The Williams International FJ44-4A electronically controlled (FADEC) engine will debut on the CJ4. The twin engines each provide 3,400 pounds of thrust (de-rated from 3,600 pounds), compared to 2,820 pounds of the CJ3’s FJ44-3A.

The FJ44-4A has the best thrust-to-weight ratio in its thrust class, and it incorporates several proprietary aerodynamic improvements that yield a significant reduction in fuel consumption. Although slightly larger than an FJ44-3A, it is still a close derivative and makes use of the same FADEC.

The Williams engine on the new CJ4 is in keeping with the company’s family concept for its CJ line. Cessna’s CJ1+ is powered by Williams’ FJ44-1AP, CJ2+ is powered by the FJ44-3A-24, and CJ3 is powered by the FJ44-3A.

"Every lesson we’ve learned in 3 million FJ44 flight hours has been applied to this latest model," said Gregg Williams, President and CEO of Williams International. "It is our most efficient engine yet, and thanks to all our prior field experience, as well as reduced operating temperatures, it will enter service with a very attractive Total Assurance Program price and a 5000-hour TBO."

Configurable for seven to eight passengers in the main cabin, the CJ4 is expected to have a full fuel payload of 1,000 pounds and maximum payload of 2,100 pounds, more than 300 additional pounds compared to the typical CJ3. The CJ4 is expected to have a cruise speed of 500 miles per hour (435 KTAS).

The newly engineered wing of the CJ4 is moderately swept. Some features of the wing are similar to the Sovereign, including the three upper speed brake panels on each wing, which allow the airplane to have the short field performance the CJ series is known for. The CJ4 can takeoff from runways as short as 3,300 feet.

Like others in the CJ family, the CJ4 will use the Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite and will feature four 8-by-10 inch flat screen displays. Some of the standard systems include engine indication and crew alerting system (EICAS), TAWS Class A (terrain awareness warning system), TCAS II (traffic alert and collision avoidance system), cockpit voice recorder (CVR), electronic charts, and XM graphical weather.

Williams International is the world leader in small turbine engines and customer support, with headquarters in Walled Lake, Michigan, and a design-to-production facility in Ogden, Utah. For more information about the company, its products, and support, please visit www.williams-int.com.

Based on unit sales, Cessna Aircraft Company is the world's largest manufacturer of general aviation airplanes. In 2006, Cessna delivered 1,239 aircraft, including 307 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of about $4.2 billion and a backlog of $8.5 billion. Since the company was originally established in 1927, more than 189,000 Cessna airplanes have been delivered to nearly every country in the world. The global fleet of almost 5,000 Citations is the largest fleet of business jets in the world. More information about Cessna Aircraft Company is available at www.cessna.com.

Textron Inc. is an $11 billion multi-industry company operating in 32 countries with approximately 40,000 employees. The company leverages its global network of aircraft, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, Fluid & Power, Textron Systems and Textron Financial Corporation. More information is available at www.textron.com.

Forward-looking Information: Certain statements in this report are forward-looking statements and speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the statements, including but not limited to the following: [a] changes in worldwide economic and political conditions that impact demand for our products, interest rates and foreign exchange rates; [b] the interruption of production at Textron facilities or Textron’s customers or suppliers; [c] the occurrence of slowdowns or downturns in customer markets in which Textron products are sold or supplied or where Textron Financial offers financing; and [d] changes in aircraft delivery schedules or cancellation of orders.