Cessna by Textron Aviation Cessna Aviation's rich history began in June 1911, when Clyde Cessna, a farmer from Kansas, built and flew a powered aircraft, marking a key moment in American aviation. After testing his designs in Enid, Oklahoma, Clyde faced financial challenges that led him to Wichita. In 1924, he co-founded Travel Air Manufacturing Co. but left in 1927 to start the Cessna Aircraft Company. This is where he introduced successful monoplane designs, including the "Phantom." The [...]

Bombardier Introduced in 1995, the Bombardier Challenger 604 is part of an aircraft legacy that began with the Canadair Challenger 600 series. Challenger 600 is a line of business jets that first flew in 1980. Canadair, a company known for its expertise in aerospace, originally developed the Challenger 600 as a revolutionary new aircraft that combined the comfort of a large cabin with the efficiency of a midsize jet. The Challenger 600 quickly became popular for corporate aviation, [...]

Cessna By Textron Aviation Clyde Cessna founded his aircraft company in 1916 after being inspired by an Oklahoma City airshow in 1911. As a mechanic and auto salesman, he built his first aircraft from a Queens Airplane Company kit – eventually becoming a pilot. He began manufacturing planes at the Jones Motor Car factory in Wichita, Kansas. Despite creating the Comet in 1917, World War I halted production when materials were diverted to war efforts. This turn of [...]

Beechcraft Aircraft Aviation pioneer Walter Beech founded Beech Aircraft Corporation in 1932 in Wichita, Kansas until his death in 1950. To continue the company, his wife, Olive Ann Beech, managed the growth and development as President and Chairman until 1982.  Known for producing iconic aircraft, Beechcraft first flew its Bonanza in 1945 – ultimately becoming its most popular model. In addition, the Bonanza also boasted aviation’s longest production run with its three major variants – the Model 35 [...]