New orders have pushed Cessna's order backlog to $6 billion,
and it is completely sold out for next year.
The market boom has returned business to pre-9/11 levels,
says Jack Pelton, chairman, president and CEO of Cessna Aircraft, which is set
to deliver 245 jets and 850 single-engine aircraft this year.
A boom usually brings out new models (even though they were
developed during the leaner part of the cycle), and this year is no exception.
Cessna is unveiling a new version of the Citation Encore, plussed up with the
same Collins Pro Line 21 avionics as the CJ1+, CJ2+ and CJ3 and fitted with
FADECs. Satellite link weather and electronic charts and maps will be standard
on the Encore Plus.
"Introduction of the CJ3 with Pro Line 21 avionics brought
customers one of the two significant features they said they wanted, which was
avionics with more integration with electronic charts and weather," Pelton
says. And Cessna is still working on the other—connectivity for the cabin.
Technology on smaller jets really stops at air phones and
faxes as Internet access requires large, heavy antennas too big for them to
carry.
"We are working hard with our supplier partners to develop
the antenna solutions that will work best on our airplanes," Pelton says. "The
technology will start microsizing itself down to where it will be viable for
our size of jets," he says, "and when it does, we hope to lead the way."
That could be as soon as within the next 12 to 24 months, he
adds.
