WICHITA, Kan., Apr 23, 2013 — Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today that aircraft on ground (AOG) maintenance will now be available for Cessna’s 208 model Caravan at all their factory owned Citation Service Centers. Cessna’s Mobile Service Units will also be allowed to perform “aircraft on ground” (AOG) maintenance on Cessna’s 208 model Caravan aircraft. The unscheduled maintenance can be coordinated through the Citation Service Centers located in Milwaukee, Wis., Orlando, Fla., Sacramento, Cal., and Wichita, Kan. Additional information on support locations and service capabilities can be found at CessnaSupport.com.
“Offering AOG service gives additional confidence to our 208 customers, through our Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) support at our locations,” said Joe Hepburn, Cessna senior vice president of Customer Service. “Cessna has manufactured more than 2,000 of the Caravan series of aircraft, and expanding our service network capabilities provides a realistic solution for the owner’s maintenance needs.” Hepburn said that Cessna has a well established network of support for the Citation customers and is excited at the opportunity to engage Caravan customers for aftermarket service. The Cessna Mobile Service Units (MSU) deployed from Milwaukee, Orlando, Sacramento and Wichita are now certified to perform AOG maintenance on Caravan aircraft.
Employees at the Citation Service Centers have already received the necessary training, and the tooling is in place. “Our team is ready and eager to extend our exceptional customer service abilities to the fleet of Cessna 208 Caravan in the United States,” said Anthony Balestracci, vice president of North American Customer Service. “The service centers we selected are in four different regions of the country, giving comprehensive access to customers across the United States.”
The Cessna 208 Caravan was first manufactured by Cessna in 1984. It is a single pilot aircraft which can be outfitted for various missions, including commuter airlines, cargo, and travel and tourism. Many aftermarket certifications exist for the Caravan, enabling the versatile aircraft to be operated in a wide range of environments. Skis can be attached to the 208 for arctic operation, enlarged tires can be installed for use on the less developed landing strips around the world, and floats can be attached to create an amphibian model. There are also many Caravan aircraft that are operated as skydiving platforms. The latest model is the Grand Caravan EX. This aircraft has over 35% more horsepower than the existing Caravan model, improving performance in “high and hot” conditions found in higher altitudes and warmer climates around the world.