Press Release

Issued by Cessna Textron Aviation.

April 15, 2015

Cessna Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. company, today announced at AERO Friedrichshafen in Germany that its Grand Caravan EX has earned certification for a 14-place configuration from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). This approval by EASA allows the newest model of the Grand Caravan to offer higher density seating and greater operational capability for operators in European countries. 

“The approval by EASA to certify the 14-place Grand Caravan EX is a win for both Cessna and our customers, as it will allow many new uses for the aircraft in Europe,” said Christi Tannahill, senior vice president, turboprop aircraft and interior design. “Regulatory agencies around the world look to EASA as a leading aviation approval authority and often follow suit with certifications, so this will open up new markets for the 14-place configuration.”

The EASA countries join a list of nearly 10 other nations that recognize a 14-place seating configuration. Textron Aviation is showcasing a Grand Caravan EX at its static display this week at Friedrichshafen Airport. 

Cessna currently offers four Caravan models: the Caravan, the Grand Caravan EX, the Caravan Amphibian and the Grand Caravan EX Amphibian. The Grand Caravan EX features a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-140 engine rated at 867 horsepower to give the upgraded model a 38 percent improvement over the rate of climb of the Grand Caravan, a 350-foot reduction in takeoff roll and a 10-12 knot cruise speed improvement on average.

Cessna expects to deliver its 2,500th Caravan in 2015, and the fleet is now certified in 100 countries with more than 13 million flight hours amassed since the aircraft was introduced in 1985. Caravans fulfill roles for multiple missions, ranging from flight training to recreation, commuter airlines to vip transport, and cargo carriers to humanitarian missions.