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and cabin refinements as we plan for future development. And, we do all of this based on the feedback we hear from our customers.
“In the last few years, we have stayed true to our product development strategy, combining clean sheet designs with regular upgrades to existing products.
“Our two newest programs have introduced fresh ideas to the turboprop market. Most recently, we released the new Cessna SkyCourier and it has been met with great enthusiasm worldwide.
Next in development for clean sheet aircraft is the Beechcraft Denali, expected to certify in 2025. As with all our product investments, customer input has been at the forefront of the Denali’s development. Recently, we announced that Textron Aviation is bringing the revolutionary Garmin Emergency Autoland system to the program. The Denali program has been making great progress, and we are confident that it will revolutionize the single-engine, high-performance turboprop segment. I was fortunate enough to fly the aircraft earlier this spring and couldn’t be happier with its performance and capabilities. Our customers are going to love flying the Denali.”
Finally, Draper, commented on the company’s commitment to supporting the existing fleet of Beechcraft King Air aircraft. The 60th anniversary of the iconic family of twin turboprops is next year; first flight was in January
1964 and the first unit rolled off the production line in September 1964. More than 7,600 King Air aircraft have been delivered with more than 6,000 still flying.
“One of the differentiators of Textron Aviation is our vast aftermarket offerings. With 250,000 aircraft delivered over more than nine decades, we remain dedicated to supporting the life of our legendary fleet. With a global network of authorized service centers staffed by skilled technicians, our commitment to comprehensive aftermarket support aims to maintain high levels of customer satisfaction while enhancing operational efficiency.
“We also recognize that having the right part at the right price is vital to our customers’ flying experience. To ensure this, we are expanding our parts distribution at our headquarters in Wichita, Kansas, by adding roughly 180,000 square feet. This upgrade will enable us to keep investing in inventory to support both new and out-of- production aircraft models.
“With pre-owned inventories at record lows, this is also a good time for customers to consider enhancing their aircraft with a variety of upgrades such as avionics, connectivity, autothrottle and ground cooling. I’ve seen very impressive cabin interior refresh options that transform the passenger experience and extend the life and enjoyment of legacy aircraft.” KA
NOVEMBER 2023
KING AIR MAGAZINE • 19