Cessna Placing First Medevac Sovereigns with Egypt's Smart Aviation

June 22, 2009
Medevac mission will be in addition to Egyptian charter company's regular VIP charter service.

WICHITA, KS – Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. company, announces today Egypt's Smart Aviation will take delivery this year of the first two Citation Sovereigns certified for medical evacuation (medevac) with a dual-patient system from LifePort. The two medevac Sovereigns are part of a six-aircraft order from Smart.

Smart Aviation, based in Cairo, is one of Egypt's leading charter companies with operations throughout the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. The medevac mission will be in addition to Smart's regular VIP charter service.

LifePort, a leading supplier of medical interiors for aircraft, will certify a Patient Loading Utility System (PLUS) in a single configuration for the Sovereign this month and will complete the requirements for the supplemental type certificate for the dual patient interior in the third quarter. Smart's Sovereigns will go into service soon after.

"The Citation Sovereign is the perfect platform for our various operations, giving us the range, cabin space and operational performance we need for our customers," said Gen. Sameh Anwar (Ret.), chief operating officer for Smart. "The combination of the Sovereign cabin and the LifePort PLUS will give us an unrivaled medical evacuation capability."