Posted on 11/15/2012 10:22:27 AM PST by crosshairs
Cessna Aircraft has signed a contract with China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co. (CAIGA) to form a joint venture company to conduct final assembly of Cessna Citation XLS+ business jets in China for the Chinese market.
Cessna’s relationship with CAIGA “taps into what is expected to be the highest growth aviation market during the coming decade,” Cessna said in a statement. Formation of the company is subject to various government approvals.
“It’s so exciting,” Cessna spokeswoman Stephanie Harder said of the agreement. Currently she said no Citation XLS+ airplanes operate in China. Cessna remains close to signing a similar arrangement for its Caravans, she said.
Under the agreement, Cessna will provide component, parts manufacturing and subassemblies for Citation XLS+ jets sold through the joint venture. Joint venture operations in Zhuhai will be designed to conduct the final assembly, paint, testing, interior installation, customization, flight testing and delivery of Citation XLS+ jets to customers in China. Management of the joint venture will include board members from Cessna and CAIGA. A general manager will be nominated by Cessna and the deputy general manager will be nominated by CAIGA. In March, Cessna signed an overarching agreement with CAIGA’s parent company, Aviation Industry Corp. of China (AVIC), to form joint ventures related to the development of general aviation businesses in China.
The company has been considering the Caravan, Citation XLS+ and Citation Sovereign for joint ventures with AVIC. At the National Business Aviation Association’s annual convention in Orlando two weeks ago, Cessna president and CEO Scott Ernest said that Cessna was getting close to finalizing a deal.
Ernest was in China for the signing with CAIGA. Cessna, Hawker Beechcraft and Bombardier are among the exhibitors at the 2012 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
Well, sounds as if at least a few Americans might get work out of this. Wait! Let’s import some illegal aliens and some H1B engineers to do the work!
Well, when the world economic and militaristic crunch comes, I’d sure as hell not want to be in a Cessna that would likely just stop flying because the engine controller chip ‘just shut off like magic’....
This is great - A historical US aviation company signs deal with the the current owners of the US to build jets...I guess Lockheed and Martin will be next..or Boeing...
This Obama economic recovery is working so swell — isn’t Beaver?
The engines are from Pratt and Whitney and made in Canada.
The aircraft are going to be manufactured in the US and assembled, painted and furnished in China for delivery to Chinese customers.
That’s the sad truth.
Another technology transfer to the Chicoms, free of charge.
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