Cessna quietly cancels Columbus

[o2bflyn]

O2b, If you would rather believe that Cessna chose to honor a long-gone sailor, rather than a current aviation client, that's your prerogative, but I'll go with the info closer to the source. In the interest of accurate posting, I'll double-check with my husband when he calls home tomorrow. He's in Columbus for joint meetings...

Why is that idea so far fetched? They named the entire Citation project after a horse.

I used to live in Columbus...it does not make me an authority about how Cessna names their airplanes.

 

[o2bflyn]

NJW et all,

I tend to be favorably bais toward NJW becasue I like the product that she is selling but this is a quote from Jack J. Pelton, chairman, president, and CEO of Cessna;

"In naming this new model, we looked for a word that embodies the spirit of our company and the performance of this airplane," Pelton said. "With an adventurous and visionary attitude, explorer Christopher Columbus is globally recognized as one of the first to cross the Atlantic Ocean. That inspired us as we worked toward our design goal. The Columbus opens up so many non-stop transcontinental routes: Munich to New York, London to Dubai, Sydney to Singapore, Sao Paulo to Miami, and many other trips."

Netjets employees get a little excited about our company sometimes (as do most posters on this forum regardless of company) but I have never seen anything other than posts from other pilots claiming that this aircraft was named for Netjets Aviation.

IP

Good post....thanks.

 

[netjetwife]

NJW even if true it is silly to talk about after netjets cancelled those orders and all others which led to massive layoffs at cessna. By the way Colombus was not just a sailor. Check your kids history books.

Haz, when I casually passed on "insider" info about the name I didn't anticipate this much posting. That said, general interest doesn't have to end just because the project was canceled. Please note that I expressed concern for the affected workers--from the beginning. BTW, my sailor-aviation comment was made facetiously to emphasis the contrast. You might want to brush up on your reading comprehension. :erm:

 

[netjetwife]

NJW et all,

I tend to be favorably bais toward NJW becasue I like the product that she is selling While I appreciate your support, I dislike the negative connotation in "selling". I advocate financial security and stability for frac families that comes with respect and a professional compensation package for frac pilots. I don't consider that selling but I'll compromise on persuading... but this is a quote from Jack J. Pelton, chairman, president, and CEO of Cessna;

"In naming this new model, we looked for a word that embodies the spirit of our company and the performance of this airplane," Pelton said. ....

Netjets employees get a little excited about our company sometimes (as do most posters on this forum regardless of company) but I have never seen anything other than posts from other pilots claiming that this aircraft was named for Netjets Aviation. This is a good example of insider information. I'm sure other industries have their share, as well.

IP

Certainly the name has two meanings, but that is smart planning not just coincidence. In a joint leadership meeting my husband was told that Cessna would also use the explorer version to market the plane to other companies. Thus, the PR quote is not surprising. That doesn't preclude Cessna from playing up the city connection when interacting privately with the Columbus-based company placing (then) the first order. It is easy to see how the attraction of a dual purpose name would have won out over other candidates and how a smart company would make full use of the selling point it gave them. Hopefully, Cessna and NJA will meet in the future to discuss the appropriately named (on 2 levels) Columbus. Regards, NJW

 

[netjetwife]

... I used to live in Columbus...it does not make me an authority about how Cessna names their airplanes.

In my desire to be discreet perhaps I was too subtle? It's not the location alone. It is the fact that my husband attends many labor-management, joint leadership meetings there and participates in project planning. The authority you imply was not claimed by me. I am merely passing on a tid-bit of insider info I thought might be of interest to others in the frac community.

 

[o2bflyn]

In my desire to be discreet perhaps I was too subtle? It's not the location alone. It is the fact that my husband attends many labor-management, joint leadership meetings there and participates in project planning. The authority you imply was not claimed by me. I am merely passing on a tid-bit of insider info I thought might be of interest to others in the frac community.

I was implying nothing that you had not already implied. Next time you wish to exercise discretion, simply do not say anything.

I can't believe I wasted this much time on this subject.

 

[netjetwife]

NJW, you can still save face here as Columbus, Ohio was named after Christopher Columbus the explorer. Wikipedia Reference

See? The plane was named after the city that hosts your beloved NetJets, which was named after the explorer, so that explains Santulli's quote about the explorer namesake.

In the spirit of "it's the thought that counts"...thanks, Glass. I didn't mention the connection because I thought it was common knowledge.

My "beloved" NetJets? :erm: No disrespect to NJA but I associate that term with family and close friends--not a corporation. I am pleased that they have embraced the concept of partnership, though. Sounds close, huh? All double-meaning conversations should have a pun or two...

One good turn deserves another so... The explorer quote was made by the CEO of Cessna, not by Santulli. I can't help you out of that. You'll just have to learn to read more carefully before you post.

 

[BushwickBill]

I read the official sales documents from Cessna. I don't just speculate on things based on my delusions of grandeur. Or delusions of the importance of a region best know for its contributions to obesity and pollution.

The entire sales brochure was some kind of explorer theme. It was stupid.
When you fly someplace your hardly exploring. Columbus didn't have an FMS charts and an approach light system to guide him into harbors. Columbus = stupid name.

I should find the stupid sales brochure. Its probably still sitting on the same Chief Pilots desk where I saw I last. It would be an interesting historical document. Marking the beginning of the end. When Americans strove for something they couldn't achieve.

 

[netjetwife]

If the sells brochure was written in the same vein as the CEO's comments then I think the majority of readers would find it acceptable. Columbus did use charts and stars as navigation aids so an analogy is fair. Business clients do fly off to open new sales territories and explore contract possibilities while leisure flying often includes destinations of new adventures for the pax; thus, those would be valid connections (direct or implied) in a document where one expected to see creativity.

 

[netjetwife]

I was implying nothing that you had not already implied. I disagree that a general observation where I cited my source equates to a claim of authority. My implication was that the info was available to NJ pilots, as well. Next time you wish to exercise discretion, simply do not say anything. I'll pass and just continue posting prudently. I count on my board name as an obvious disclaimer that I'm not an authority--just an informed wife.

I can't believe I wasted this much time on this subject.

Frankly, neither can I. I thought my first post would generate a discussion about the economy and private aviation's role in it. That was my primary focus; the name issue was far less important, as I had noted:

Maybe they can come up with other work to replace those 1000 jobs and offset the $43M lost. Surely that's a bigger concern than the name?... I don't think most Americans reflected much on how far reaching the affects of private aviation can be on the economy. Alas, recessions have a way of educating citizens. When my husband first talked about the plans for the Columbus, I didn't even know where it'd be built, much less, see a connection between my family and those workers. We really are all in this together, aren't we?

I'm disappointed and surprised at the direction the thread took but I strongly believe that conversation builds camaraderie so I rarely view posting and/or reading FI as a waste of time...even when I disagree with fellow board members. So thanks to all who post here with the intention of building bridges in the frac community. NJW

 

[Tgaug6300]

http://www.pilotbug.com/?p=130

The previously suspended development of the Cessna Citation Columbus was canceled as reported in a recent Textron SEC filing. According to the document, Textron “decided to suspend the development of the Citation Columbus wide-body jet due to prevailing market conditions.” The aircraft, which was to compete in the already crowded “super midsize” cabin class, was previously suspended in April. Facilities and tooling built and produced in the program totaled $50M up until now, of which $43M has been declared unrecoverable. Development and construction of the aircraft were also to have employed 1000 jobs in Wichita, KS, home to Cessna Aircraft.

It is important to remember that the program was only suspened. When the economy recovers perhaps we will see it again. Cessna has already invested alot in infrastructure and RD for the program. Time will tell.

 

[netjetwife]

Tg, for the sake of all involved, I certainly hope so! You know the workers who would build the plane must definitely be following this closely. When you consider, too, how it impacts Wichita, KS then the issue becomes even bigger. This news article states that thousands of jobs hung in the balance. Check out the insider info in the comment section at the end. Interesting but not encouraging. I hope the poster's prediction is wrong.

http://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/stories/2009/07/06/daily54.html

This is a good reminder that motivated frac pilots giving 100% on the job can increase business, which leads to the need for more planes, thus creating jobs and helping fellow Americans. And all this time I primarily thought of frac planes as being for the wealthy--not the middle class. Clearly, in Wichita many average citizens wanted to be involved. Sad to say, it often takes a recession to really bring home the message that we're all in this economy together. I wish the best for everyone out there whose income is tied to aviation. NJW

 

[HazMat]

"... Or delusions of the importance of a region best know for its contributions to obesity and pollution."

that is the funniest thing I have read on flightinfo

 

[BoilerUP]

All the artists' renderings of the Columbus had a ship (three-sail boat, if you will) on them.

Pretty sure if it was named after a town in Ohio it'd have a big-ass O on it.