Thu, Oct 08, 2009
On the weekend of August 28th, 2009, Lancair/Columbia/Corvalis
300/350/400 owners arrived in Bend, Oregon for the final Bend
Reunion Fly-In. The bittersweet gathering followed
Cessna’s difficult decision on April 29th of this year to
close the former Columbia facility and move all factory operations
to Wichita, Kansas in response to the harsh economic climate.
Steve Masters, President of the Cessna Advanced Aircraft Club,
explained that the reunion provided owners with one last
opportunity to show support and gratitude for the Bend community
before the move.
The reunion, however, featured positive developments for the
owner group as well. Cessna representatives took the
opportunity to reiterate their continued support of the aircraft
and their owners. Earlier this year, Cessna Aircraft debuted
the newly named 350 Corvalis and 400 Corvalis TT, formerly the
Cessna 350 and Cessna 400 respectively, in a sign of their
long-term commitment and excitement for the aircraft product
line.
When Cessna purchased Columbia Aircraft in November of 2007, CEO
Jack Pelton assured existing owners that they would be looked
after; the partnership has proved to be extremely beneficial for
the existing owner group. Owners have survived the
acquisition with warranties in tact and confidence in
Cessna’s dedication to continued service and support.
Though the closure of the Bend facility and final Oregon reunion
marked a sad finale for the aircraft owners and the local
community, Masters explained that the owner group remains
optimistic about their partnership with Cessna. The owners
have experienced a tumultuous ownership history. Originally
manufactured in the late 1990s by Lancair Certified, the company
became Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing after Composite Technology
Research Malaysia (CTRM) bought a controlling interesting in the
division in 2003. After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in
2007, Columbia Aircraft entered acquisition talks with several
companies, finally announcing the successful purchase by Textron,
Cessna’s parent company. It would seem, then, that
while the owners may be changing their home base, they’ve
finally found their “home.”
More News
Maximum Authorized Altitude A published altitude representing the maximum usable altitude or flight level for an airspace structure or route segment. It is the highest altitude on >[...]
Aero Linx: Soaring Safety Foundation (SSF) The Soaring Safety Foundation (SSF) is the Training and Safety arm of the Soaring Society of America (SSA). Our mission is to provide ins>[...]
From 2013 (YouTube Version): Dracula Lives On Through Kyle Franklin... and We're NOT Scared! ANN CEO and Editor-in-Chief, Jim Campbell speaks with Aerobatic and airshow master, Kyl>[...]
“For Montaer Aircraft it is a very prudent move to incorporate such reliable institution as Ocala Aviation, with the background of decades in training experience and aviation>[...]
Also: ForeFlight Upgrades, Cicare USA, Vittorazi Engines, EarthX We have a number of late-breaking news highlights from the 2024 Innovation Preview... which was PACKED with real ne>[...]
ANN's Daily Aero-Term (04.14.24): Maximum Authorized Altitude
See All