CESSNA AIRCRAFT and Gulfstream Aerospace have reported record business-jet sales for 1994. Cessna says that it delivered 121 Citation business-jets in the year, up from 116 in 1993, and booked orders for a further 203 - its highest order intake since 1979, the best year ever for Citation sales.
Gulfstream says that the dollar value of sales in 1994 was the highest in its history, with orders for 40 new Gulfstream IV and V business jets and sales of 18 pre-owned aircraft. The company says that it is on track to sell almost 100 long-range GVs, worth more than $3 billion, before the first aircraft is delivered in November 1996. Gulfstream has also got off to a cracking start this year, with a $500 million order for 22 GIV and GVs from NetJets.
Cessna says that its 1994 business-jet order intake included sales of more than 50 Citation Excels. This widebody addition to the company's light business-jet line was launched in October 1994, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 1997. Cessna is now looking at ways to increase Excel production to make additional aircraft available before the year 2000.
The manufacturer also booked orders for 139 Caravans in 1994, marking its best sales year ever for the single-turboprop utility aircraft. Cessna delivered 51 Caravans in the year, down from 57 in 1993.
Bombardier says that it delivered 24 Canadair Challenger business-jets in 1994, the same as in 1993, and, while Learjet deliveries slipped from 38 aircraft to 36 last year, shipments of the Learjet 60 increased from 16 to 22, resulting in higher dollar value. Bombardier says that it has firm orders for more than 40 Global Express long-range business jets.
Source: Flight International
