Two icons, one vision: Textron Aviation redefines luxury travel

When many of us think of Cessna® or Beechcraft® aircraft we may picture hardy flying-club piston engines or bush-proof King Air® turboprops droning over the savannah. True enough those brilliantly robust machines are featured in the line up, but they also sit alongside some of private aviation’s most sophisticated luxury aircraft and business jets. The Citation Latitude® has been the world’s most-delivered midsize business jet for nine years running, and the flagship Citation Longitude® comfortably handles transatlantic hops, with a cabin that feels more members’ club than machine.

Textron Aviation, the home of both Cessna® and Beechcraft® brands design, build and deliver aircraft from their Wichita, Kansas headquarters, dubbed the “air capital of the world”. In 2024, Textron Aviation delivered 569 aircraft across its piston, turboprop and jet lines - a reminder that this is a serious industrial operation as much as a luxury brand.

The Cessna Citation M2 Gen3®

The two expansive Wichita campuses are not just assembly lines, they’re design, engineering and testing, as well as their largest domestic service facility and a recently expanded global parts distribution centre that stocks around 150,000 unique parts. But their network doesn’t stop there – they span across Europe, Latin and South America, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. This is the sort of quiet detail that keeps aircraft flying and schedules on-time, because in this industry a global presence matters.

The Cessna Citation Latitude®

If you’re still carrying old perceptions, land them. Yes, the Beechcraft King Air® aircraft line remains the definitive executive turboprop for unmade runways - tough as they come. Yes, the Cessna Skyhawk® is still the go-to for pilot training across the globe. However, the business-jet range spans everything from short-hops to transatlantic and super-midsize machines, with the same focus on reliability and experience you’d expect from a top-end luxury marque.

The Cessna Skyhawk®

There is a 100-year pedigree that sits behind the leather and comfort of these globally recognised aircraft. Cessna® Aircraft Company and Beech Aircraft Corporation were founded by Clyde Cessna and Walter Beech, just down the road from where today’s planes take shape. Bits of the original production lines are still part of the operational facilities today. A century-worth of industry and know-how isn’t just a museum piece, it’s embedded in how the flaps fold, the doors close, and the global service network still gets you home when the weather takes a turn.

The Beechcraft King Air®

If you value time, the process is suitably straightforward. Meet the team, define your typical month, choose the wings and specification that makes your life easier and more comfortable. Then let the experts at Textron Aviation’s factory take it from there. When you finally step into your aircraft for the acceptance flight, cabin laid out the way you like it, you’ll understand why these aren’t “flying-club Cessnas” at all. They’re Textron Aviation’s modern interpretation of luxury and freedom, delivered.

For more information about their aircraft, visit Cessna and Beechcraft's website.

If you are interested in finding out more then read our other articles about Textron Aviation.