GENEVA, Switzerland, May 3, 2010 - Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, will activate its first Mobile Service Unit in Europe by the end of 2010 to expand customer service to the growing Cessna Citation fleet in the region.

“The Cessna Mobile Service Unit, part of our ServiceDirect program, has already proven its worth to our customers in the United States,” said Mark Paolucci, senior vice president, Customer Service. “With more than 1,000 Citations delivered to European customers, we have put a great emphasis on expanding service options here. Adding the new MSU, along with the full array of ServiceDirect options, is a natural progression to ensure Citation customers in Europe are getting the best service.”

The European MSU will be based at a still-to-be-determined location in southern France and will cover an area including southern France, Geneva, northern Italy and northern Spain. As with the U.S.-based MSUs, the European version will be capable of a variety of maintenance functions from simple line maintenance to major repairs including engine changes.

The new Citation MSU will complement the company’s Citation Service Center at Le Bourget Airport near Paris. Other recent European actions include setting up a new spare parts distribution center in Amsterdam and the announcement of a new Citation Service Center in Valencia.

High Resolution Image: New Cessna European MSU
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Cessna is the world’s leading general aviation company, based on unit sales, with five major lines of business: Citation business jets, Caravan single-engine turboprops, Cessna single-engine piston aircraft, aftermarket services and lift solutions by CitationAir. In 2009, Cessna delivered 754 aircraft, including 289 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of about $3.3 billion. Since the company was originally established in 1927, more than 192,000 Cessna airplanes have been delivered around the world, including more than 6,000 Citations, making it the largest fleet of business jets in the world. More information about Cessna Aircraft Company is available at www.cessna.com.

Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. More information is available at www.textron.com.

Forward-looking Information: Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements and speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the statements, including but not limited to the following: [a] changes in worldwide economic and political conditions that impact demand for our products, interest rates and foreign exchange rates; [b] the interruption of production at our facilities or at our suppliers’ facilities; [c] the timing of new product launches and certifications of new aircraft products; [d] the occurrence of slowdowns or downturns in customer markets in which our products are sold or supplied; [e] changes in aircraft delivery schedules or cancellations or deferrals of orders; [f] the launching of significant new products or programs which could result in unanticipated expenses; [g] changes in national or international government policies on the export and import of commercial products; [h] bankruptcy or other financial or performance problems at major suppliers or subcontractors that could cause disruptions in our supply chain; [i] continued difficult conditions in the financial markets resulting in adverse impacts to our customers, including difficulty in obtaining financing for the purchase of our products; and [j] continued volatility in the economy resulting in a prolonged downturn in the business jet market.