Cessna started out 75 years ago attempting to do what others said couldn't be done-build a monoplane with a full cantilever wing, that is, one without supporting struts or braces. The aviation industry was forever changed when the Cessna All Purpose took off in August 1927, and Clyde Cessna's cantilever design has been the standard ever since.

The following lists some Cessna highlights over the past 75 years.

1911: Clyde Cessna built and flew his first airplane.
1927: The Cessna Aircraft Company incorporated on September 7.
1928: Cessna produced the first full cantilever wing light airplane to go into production in this country.
1940: Production began on the Bobcat, Cessna's first twin-engine aircraft.
1943: Built more than 750 gliders, capable of carrying 13 troops plus equipment, for the U.S. Army Air Force.
1944: Nearly 5,400 Bobcat twins produced since introduction in 1940.
1946: Returned to commercial production with Models 120 and 140.
1947: Production began on the five-place Models 190 and 195, Cessna's first all-metal airplanes.
1948: Entered the four-place airplane market with the Model 170.
1949: Converted to metal-covered wings on Models 120, 140 and 170.
1954: Introduction of the 310, Cessna's first business twin.
1954: Production of T-37 Air Force jet trainer begins.
1956: Introduction of the Skyhawk, which became the most popular airplane in history.
1956: Introduction of the Skylane, which became the most popular high-performance single.
1960: Acquired McCauley, manufacturer of propellers and other aircraft components.
1963: Produced its 50,000th airplane, a Skyhawk.
1965: Deliveries of the Model 411 began, Cessna's first cabin class business airplane.
1965: Cessna's agricultural airplane, the Ag Wagon, introduced.
1965: Announced the first turbocharged single-engine airplane, a Turbo Centurion.
1967: 75,000th Cessna airplane was delivered, a Skymaster.
1967: Introduction of the Model 421 Golden Eagle, the first general aviation aircraft to combine cabin pressurization with a turbocharging system.
1968: 1,000th T-37 jet trainer was delivered to the Air Force.
1968: Citation 500, Cessna's first business jet, makes its first flight.
1969: Model 414 introduced as Cessna's second pressurized business twin.
1972: First Citation business jet delivered.
1975: Delivered the 1,000th Golden Eagle.
1975: Produced its 100,000th single-engine airplane.
1976: Deliveries begin on Titan, Cessna's largest piston-engine aircraft for business, commuter and cargo use.
1976: Announced initial design of the Citation I, Citation II and Citation III.
1977: Introduction of the Pressurized Centurion, the world's only pressurized single-engine piston airplane in production.
1978: First deliveries of the Citation II.
1978: Ag Husky introduced as the only turbocharged agricultural aircraft in the world.
1979: Turbo Centurion and Pressurized Centurion certified for flight into icing, the only production singles to achieve this capability.
1979: Introduction of the Cutlass RG, which became the most popular retractable gear airplane in its first year of production.
1980: Sales topped $1 billion for the first time.
1982: 1,000th Citation delivered.
1982: Introduction of the Citation III intercontinental business jet.
1982: Introduction and first flight of Caravan I single-engine utility propjet.
1984: 500th Conquest propjet delivered.
1984: Citation S/II and Navy T-47A Citation made first flights.
1985: Cessna merged with General Dynamics as a wholly owned subsidiary.
1986: Cessna awarded National Aeronautic Association's Robert J. Collier trophy for safety record of Citation fleet.
1986: 100th Citation III delivered.
1987: Citation V introduced at NBAA convention.
1988: 1,500th Citation delivered.
1989: CitationJet announced.
1989: Citation fleet records five-millionth flight hour.
1990: Citation X announced.
1990: The Grand Caravan, a passenger version of the 208B Caravan I utility turboprop, announced and deliveries begun.
1991: CitationJet engineering prototype makes first flight.
1991: 500th Caravan delivered.
1992: General Dynamics announces sale of Cessna to Textron.
1993: Cessna delivered the 2,000th Citation, a Citation VII.
1993: Citation Ultra announced as successor to the Citation V.
1994: Citation Bravo named successor to Citation II.
1994: Citation Excel announced.
1996: New "R" Model 172 Skyhawk granted certification by the FAA.
1997: Citation X and the Citation X Design Team receive Collier Trophy.
1997: First new 182 Skylane customer delivery.
1997: Cessna delivers 2,500th Citation in 70th year of operation.
1998: Cessna launches four new Citation business jets: Citation CJ1, Citation CJ2, Citation Ultra Encore and Citation Sovereign.
1998: 1,000th Caravan, a Grand Caravan, delivered.
1999: 1,000th Skyhawk delivered.
1999: 2,000th single-engine aircraft, a Turbo Stationair, delivered.
1999: 3,000th Citation delivered.
2000: 400th CitationJet delivered.
2001: Delivery of 3,000th single-engine aircraft.
2002: First flight of the Citation Sovereign; CJ3 announced at NBAA 2002 in Orlando.