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Cessna: Success Breeds Success

27/11/2013 by Aviation Times

On Monday, we took the opportunity to look at the new Cessna Sovereign that was on display for CEPA-EXPO visitors and guests at the Citation Service Center at Prague‘s Vaclav Havel Intenational Airport. Improving on greatness is what this manufacturer does best. The aircraft has a range of 3,000 nm [5,556 km] nonstop. Winglets have been added to the new Sovereign ensuring its capability of reaching a top speed of 458kts (848 km/h) and contributing to the increased range and enabling a direct climb to 45,000 feet (13.7 km) — while still being renowned for taking off and landing on short runways. It has the largest doubleclub cabin available in its class capable of seating 9 people, an all new interior, and features improved cabin cooling. With upgraded avionics and better performance, the Sovereign answers the call of today’s business leaders and what they want in a corporate jet. Cessna has taken customer feedback and has combined it with Cessna engineering and craftsmanship to make a trusted Citation aircraft even better. The innovations underscore a commitment to bring cutting edge aircraft and service to market and deliver what customers want and need andeven exceed their expectations. The new Cessna Sovereign is visionary midsize jet for visionary travelers.

In March this year, Cessna had proudly announced that the new Citation Sovereign rolled off the production line in the company’s Wichita, Kansas, are four registered Soveirgns in Czech Republic alone. Yesterday, after CEPAEXPO’s ‘Manufacturers Session; Perceptions and reality on the CEE market growth’ we asked Hardy Putrich, Sales Director CEE at Cessna Aircraft Company how he sees the developments on the European market.

“The fleet of Citations in eastern and central Europe is growing steadily,” says Hardy. He warns that business aviation fortunes are not the same in all geographic regions, stating that the disparity in economic recovery is becoming more apparent, with North
America set for growth while Europe remains under strong pressure. “Germany, for example, shows a higher demand for business aircrafts while Eastern Europe is still struggling economically,” says Hardy. “We are seeing slightly higher demand for entry-level business aircraft compared to recent years, while demand in the market remains strong for long- and ultra-longrange aircraft.”

“As for our new Citation Sovereign,which we showed at Prague’s airport on Monday, you saw it for yourself: if you think you know the Sovereign, it’s time to look at the new one,” says Putrich. “The upgraded cabin management system is a big hit with customers. All our guests appreciated the streamlined cabin and were impressed with the all-new interior, including wider seats which are designed for maximum in-flight comfort. Pilots are excited about the G5000 avionics. They like the split-screen options for the displays, and the reduced workload that comes with auto-throttles. These upgrades are inspired by customer feedback, and we can tell they are resonating positively with those who ride in the plane, and those who fly it. The Sovereign brings exceptional payload capabilities and outstanding performance for hundreds of dollars per hour less than competing aircraft in its category.”
In the afternoon we met Alessandro Barizzi, Cessna’s Vice President Customer Service Europe, who was one of the panel members of CEPA-EXPO’s ‘Service Center Session’. “Cessna’s Smart Global Growth strategy is about providing after-care service for customers. We have six service centers that we now own and operate in Europe,” says Alessandro. “It is something that will resonate with our European customers. We think that’s the single biggest driver of loyalty–how well we take care of the airplane. The Citation Service Center in Prague is a significant step toward providing our operators a more comprehensive customer service and support experience in this region.“ The 3,000 square meter facility in Prague that serves Citation’s growing fleet in Eastern and Central Europe is certified
by the EASA and performs both scheduled and unscheduled maintenanceoperations as well as customizations, overhauls, repairs, and other Citation services. It also has a Mobile Service Unit (MSU) available for deployment to customers who are unable to travel.

Cessna team – Harduin Putrich, Nicole Panuschka

Cessna Aircraft Company has recently announced a unique program covering all scheduled maintenance and parts costs for the Citation Sovereign for the first five years or 1,500 flight hours. It is called the “Sovereign Shield” program and practically eliminates maintenance-related direct operating costs of model year 2013 Citation Sovereign aircraft, allowing owners to operate the Citation Sovereign for far less than other business jets in the midsize category. Buyers who take possession of a Sovereign now can rest assured
that the maintenance for the next five years is covered. This is an industry-leading service program which instills confidence and passes savings onto those customers who choose the Sovereign as their business tool. When covered by the Sovereign Shield program,
operators can save more than $3,500 on a 2,000 nm trip when compared to direct operating costs of mid-size class competitors. Cessna boasts an extensive network of 15 factory-owned Citation Service Centers around the world, in addition to the 39 authorized Citation Service Facilities worldwide to assist with maintaining the Citation Sovereign aircraft.

Cessna took a great aircraft and made it even better. It offers more maintenance services under better conditions. Success breeds success and that’s easy to see with the new Cessna Sovereign.