Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today it has reached agreement with Germany’s Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH, a wholly owned subsidary of Thielert Aktiengesellschaft (FSE: T3C), to collaborate on future programs centered on the Thielert diesel engine. Cessna is the world-leading manufacturer of piston aircraft and therefore becomes one of the most important OEM customer for Thielert’s Centurion engines. Over the upcoming years Thielert expects thousands of engine deliveries. Details are scheduled to be announced later this year by Cessna. This announcement is a significant step forward in the relationship between the two companies that has been formally established through the framework agreement dated 2004.

"We think the Thielert engine may provide a very worthwhile power option for many of our customers since it runs on jet fuel or diesel," said Cessna Vice President, Worldwide Propeller Aircraft Sales John Doman. "We have had discussions with Frank Thielert and his group for some time, and we think the time is right to move forward."

"We have a number of products that are of interest to Cessna and we are excited to be moving forward in our relationship," said Frank Thielert, CEO of Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH. "The benefits are documented, so we have great confidence the customers of Cessna would be pleased with the savings and reliability."

Thielert won several European certifications since 2002 for retrofitting diesel engines into Cessna aircraft, and a supplemental type certificate
(STC) for the 172 model from the U .S. Federal Aviation Administration was granted in March 2007.  Thielert engines feature low fuel consumption, electronic engine control systems, and improved hot-and-high engine performance.

Based on unit sales, Cessna Aircraft Company is the world’s largest manufacturer of general aviation airplanes. In 2006, Cessna delivered 1,239 aircraft, including 409 Cessna 172 Skyhawk piston aircraft, and reported revenues of about $4.2 billion and a backlog of $8.5 billion. Since the company was originally established in 1927, more than 189,000 Cessna airplanes have been delivered to nearly every country in the world. The global fleet of about 40,000 Cessna 172 is the largest fleet of piston aircraft in the world.

Source: Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH
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