Britannica AI Icon

Cessna Aircraft Company

American company
Also known as: Cessna-Roos Aircraft Company

Quick Summary

The Cessna Aircraft Company is an American manufacturer of general aviation aircraft. Founded by Clyde V. Cessna in 1927, the company became a leading producer of small planes, known for its simple, flexible monoplane designs.12

Cessna's innovations include the cantilever wing and a V-shaped tail configuration, making its aircraft popular for various uses, including bush flying and rescue operations. After a closure during the Great Depression, the company reopened and grew significantly, eventually becoming one of the world's largest manufacturers of private airplanes.21

In 1992, Cessna was acquired by Textron Inc., a multi-industry company. Today, Cessna is a subsidiary of Textron Aviation and continues to produce popular light, single-engine aircraft and the Citation series of business jets.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
2 Britannica Sources
  1. Textron Inc.
  2. Clyde Vernon Cessna

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.