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Cessna sets record with 1000 European Citation deliveries

This week, Textron-owned Cessna Aircraft Company set a new record by becoming the first business aircraft manufacturer to achieve a European fleet size of 1,000 jets. The 1000th took place when the aircraft manufacturer delivered a Citation XLS to Turkish charter BONAIR.

BONAIR president Ates Hanibu was presented with the 1000th aircraft in a ceremony at Cessna’s facility in Wichita, Kansas, by Cessna’s president and CEO Jack J. Pelton along with other Cessna executives.

BONAIR has been operating Cessna aircrafts for over two decades, and considers itself as part of the Cessna family. The operator’s last delivery was purchased to meet a growing demand for business aviation in Turkey.

Hanibu explains, “BONAIR has enjoyed great success in meeting the air travel needs of Turkey’s business leaders. The Citation Bravo and Cessna Caravan have both performed well for us, and we are delighted to now offer the additional cabin space and range of the Citation XLS.”

“This delivery marks a significant milestone both for Cessna and our industry,” asserts Pelton. “It underlines that European companies increasingly value business aviation as a tool when time is of the essence and further demonstrates how well suited the Citation product family is for the travel requirements of the region. We are proud of the strong relationships we enjoy with European customers and look forward to the continued growth of our fleet.”

At a global scale, Cessna has delivered more than 5,400 Citations, making it the largest fleet of business jets in the world.