Textron Aviation

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Jerry Siebenmark

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

First deliveries of the Cessna SkyCourier are expected soon to launch customer FedEx Express.

Cessna SkyCourier Receives FAA Type Certification

Matt Thurber

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

James Benham shows how Tamarack Aerospace's winglet mod enhances performance—and sustainability—of his CitationJet.

Real-world Ops: Tamarack Winglets Boost CJ Performance

The first production Cessna 408 SkyCourier is destined for launch customer FedEx.

Textron Aviation Rolls Out First Production SkyCourier

Chad Trautvetter

New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

Spirit Aeronautics is now able to perform the v6.1 software upgrade for Honeywell FMZ-2000 flight management systems in Cessna Citation Xs.

Spirit Aero Now Offering Citation X FMS Software Update

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

A flying session in Textron Aviation's SkyCourier lab simulator revealed interesting characteristics of this heavy-duty load-hauler.

Hands On: SkyCourier Lab Simulator

Thrive Aviation's order for three Citation Longitudes will bring its fleet of Textron Aviation aircraft to 15.

Thrive Aviation Adding Citation Longitudes to Fleet

Genesys Aerosystems is partnering with JetTech to develop new supplemental type certificates for Cessna Citations.

Genesys, JetTech Partner on S-TEC 5000 Citation STCs

News and developments about everything that goes into the cabin of an aircraft, from floor coverings to headliners, with a special emphasis on in-flight entertainment, communications and other electronics for passengers. If it is in the cabin of an aircraft, it’s covered here.

CitationPartners' Citation Excel Eagle program will enable existing 560XL owners to have their own aircraft refurbished under the nose-to-tail program.

CitationPartners Unveils Excel Eagle Second Phase

Textron Aviation is to jointly develop autonomous flight capability for its current and future aircraft under a partnership with Xwing. A&nbsp;non-exclusive agreement signed on October 12 calls for&nbsp;the companies’ engineering teams to develop and certify remote&nbsp;piloting&nbsp;technology for Textron’s Cessna Grand Caravan utility aircraft.
California-based Xwing is already operating a converted Caravan under an experimental certificate for research and development purposes with a supervising pilot on board. In addition, it has commercial operations with Caravans through its Part 135 subsidiary San Antonio Air Charter. It has applied to the FAA for clearance to fly its experimental aircraft commercially with a ground-based pilot and safety pilot on board, and this approval is still in process.
Textron has asked the Xwing team to provide expertise on autonomous flight technology and help it with design and manufacturing work to integrate these systems into existing and new aircraft. In return, the U.S.-based aircraft manufacturer will provide its partner with engineering and certification support. 
The agreement does not specify how Textron and Xwing might jointly market converted and new-build autonomous aircraft. However, Xwing has acknowledged that the partners are discussing this prospect and view strong eCommerce-fueled growth logistics and express delivery air services as a&nbsp;driver for autonomous operations, especially in view of the anticipated pilot shortage.
“The general aviation sector is ripe for new technologies,” commented Textron Aviation senior vice president Chris Hearne. “Textron Aviation has many of the most proven and scalable aviation solutions in the industry, and we are pleased to be the place where innovators like Xwing come for aircraft platforms.”
Xwing recently completed a $40 million funding round. Earlier this year, it&nbsp;carried out what it says was the world’s first autonomous gate-to-gate flight of a commercial cargo aircraft.
“It is an honor to work with Textron Aviation to optimize the next generation of aircraft for autonomous flight,” said Xwing founder and CEO Marc Piette. “Best suited and reliable for the air cargo industry, the Cessna Grand Caravan fleet has accumulated millions of flight hours. We look forward to playing a role in furthering the development of an autonomous aircraft using this platform as we reimagine the potential of autonomous technology within the aviation industry.”
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Textron Aviation

News

Cessna SkyCourier Receives FAA Type Certification

Real-world Ops: Tamarack Winglets Boost CJ Performance

Textron Aviation Rolls Out First Production SkyCourier

Spirit Aero Now Offering Citation X FMS Software Update

Hands On: SkyCourier Lab Simulator

Thrive Aviation Adding Citation Longitudes to Fleet

Genesys, JetTech Partner on S-TEC 5000 Citation STCs

CitationPartners Unveils Excel Eagle Second Phase

Textron Teams with Xwing To Bring Autonomous Flight Capability to Its Aircraft

Cessna Citation 500 Type Certification Marks 50 Years

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