Textron Aviation Delivers 3,000th Cessna Caravan Family Aircraft; Grand Caravan EX Joins Azul Conecta Airline Fleet in Brazil

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Textron Aviation today announced it has delivered a Cessna Grand Caravan EX to Brazilian aviation company Azul Conecta, a subsidiary of Azul Airlines based at the airport of Jundiai in São Paulo. This aircraft represents the 3,000th Cessna Caravan family turboprop delivered worldwide, reinforcing the Caravan as the most popular utility turboprop in the world. Azul Conecta transports travelers from smaller cities and remote locations throughout Brazil.

The Cessna Caravan and Cessna Grand Caravan EX are designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc.(NYSE:TXT) company.

Textron Aviation employees and representatives from Azul Conecta celebrated this significant milestone with a special delivery ceremony at Textron Aviation’s location in Independence, Kansas.

“The Cessna Caravan’s versatility and reliability have made it the most popular aircraft in the utility turboprop category, with now 3,000 delivered globally,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior vice president of Sales and Flight Operations at Textron Aviation. “I’m thankful to customers like Azul Conecta who continuously rely on the Caravan family of aircraft to fulfill their missions, deliver solutions and improve lives around the world.”

Conceived as a rugged utility aircraft with low operating costs, the Caravan was designed for use in remote areas with extreme weather changes, mountainous terrain and rough landing conditions. The aircraft’s versatility became renowned in all corners of the world, and the Caravan continues to see wide use in global markets by a variety of customers, including government agencies, law enforcement and militaries, air ambulance operators, freight haulers, corporations and humanitarian organizations.

“This Grand Caravan EX will proudly fly the Brazilian skies and connect our 158 destinations, many of which are made possible by the aircraft’s utility and flexibility,” said Flavio Costa, chief technical officer of Azul and president of Azul Conecta. “As a longtime Textron Aviation customer with a fleet of over 25 Cessna aircraft, we are happy to be a part of this important milestone.”

Customers can choose between four models of the Cessna Caravan aircraft to best fit their mission: the Caravan 208, the Grand Caravan EX 208B, the Caravan Amphibian and the Grand Caravan EX Amphibian.

Cessna Caravan program milestones

  • 1981 Cessna launched the Caravan program
  • 1982 First flight of Caravan 208 prototype
  • 1984 Caravan 208 received FAA type certification
  • 1985 Cessna began deliveries of the Caravan 208
  • 1985 Caravan 208 approved for amphibious floats
  • 1986 Caravan 208B Super Cargomaster, stretched by four feet in a freight specific

configuration, received FAA type certification

  • 1990 First production Grand Caravan 208B delivered
  • 1998 Delivery of 1,000th production Caravan 208
  • 1998 Cessna began deliveries of the new standard Caravan 208, a Caravan 208 that

features a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A engine rated at 675 shaft horsepower

  • 2002 Delivery of 1,000th Grand Caravan 208B
  • 2005 Delivery of 1,500th production Cessna 208
  • 2008 Garmin G1000 becomes standard avionics equipment
  • 2008 TKS ice protection offered
  • 2013 Cessna began deliveries of Grand Caravan EX 208B, featuring a Pratt & Whitney

Canada PT6A-140 engine rated at 867 shaft horsepower

  • 2017 G1000 NXi becomes standard on Caravan and Grand Caravan EX
  • 2022 3,000th Caravan, a Grand Caravan EX, delivered to Azul Conecta