WICHITA, Kan., September 5, 2014 – Cessna Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today it received type certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration for the Cessna Citation CJ3+. Certification, awarded Thursday, comes less than six months after the company introduced the new model in March.

“Cessna is committed to new product development and the swift progress of the Citation CJ3+, from announcement to certification and on to the market, is a perfect example of that laser-like focus,” said Chris Hearne, vice president, Jets. “The CJ3+ incorporates the latest in technology for the cockpit and for the passenger cabin which is exactly what the customer has asked us to do, and that has always been a hallmark of Cessna’s new product innovations.”

The Citation CJ3+, with seating for up to nine people, is certified for single pilot operation, featuring a number of new systems designed to reduce pilot workload. Building on the popular Citation CJ3, the CJ3+ features an integrated avionics suite from Garmin, the G3000, an automatically controlled cabin pressurization system, and an advanced fault and maintenance diagnostic system.

The G3000 avionics suite in the Citation CJ3+ includes turbulence detecting weather radar, TCAS II, advanced Terrain Awareness Warning Systems (TAWS), and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) capabilities which make it compliant with a significant aspect of future Next Generation (NexGen) air traffic control requirements. The aircraft cabin also features a wireless media server, Garmin integrated cockpit and cabin Iridium phone, and high speed internet capabilities.

With a range of up to 2,070 nautical miles, the CJ3+ is perfectly suited for the light jet market segment and can fly passengers nonstop from Washington, D.C., to Mexico City; from London to Moscow; from Shanghai to Bangkok; or from Lima to São Paulo.

Today’s news reflects the company’s focus on continued investment in general aviation’s most extensive product line up. During the past year, Cessna has certified four new Citation models – the Citation M2, Citation Sovereign+, Citation X+ and now the Citation CJ3+. The next new Citation product coming to market within the coming year is the Citation Latitude, expected to certify in the second quarter of 2015.

Cessna created and continues to invigorate the light jet segment, giving customers the most expansive product line up on the market. From the popular entry level Citation Mustang and newly-certified Citation M2 jets, to the upgraded efficiency and comfort of the CJ3+ and the top performing CJ4, Cessna’s Citation CJ family of light business jets has evolved to offer a range of capabilities, systems and options unmatched in its class. Cessna’s Citation series of jets are the most popular line of business jets ever produced, with more than 6,600 jets that have been designed, manufactured and delivered to customers around the world.