Cessna Aircraft Co.: Latest Job Openings, Reviews and Ratings & Profile wise Salary Distribution

Cessna Aircraft Co. Careers & Info

Current CEO: Ron Draper

Status: Active

Cessna Aircraft Company is based out of Wichita, Kansas, and is a subsidiary of Textron. The company produces business jets, but they are mostly known for their small piston-powered aircrafts. The company was started by Clyde Cessna in 1911. He formed Cessna Aircraft in 1927 with his partner Victor Roos after becoming the first person to fly his own aircraft from Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains. The company was named Cessna-Roos Aircraft Company before being changed to the Cessna Aircraft Company later in 1927.

The first Cessna DC-6 earned its certification on the same day of the stock market crash of 1929 in October. Cessna had to close the company from 1932 to 1934 because of the economy. In 1934, Dwayne and Dwight Wallace rekindled the company and helped it become a global success. Prior to their intervention, the Cessna CR-3 custom racer was built. The plane won the American Air Race in Chicago and set a world record for the fastest plane at speeds of 237 miles per hour.

The U.S. Army became one of Cessna’s largest customers in 1940. The company ordered 33 specialized Cessna T-50 aircrafts. The Royal Canadian Air Force placed an order for 180 Cessna T-50 aircrafts. In 1948, the Model 140 Aircraft won the “Outstanding Plane of Year” United Flight Instructors Association. The most produced plane in airplane history was the Cessna 172. This plane was released in 1956 after Cessna’s first helicopter. Nearly 50,000 Cessna 172 airplanes were produced by 1963. The 100,000th single engine airplane was produced in 1975.

By 1985, the company became a subsidiary of General Dynamic Corporation, and in 1992 General Dynamics sold Cessna to Textron Incorporated. In 2007, Textron purchased Columbia Aircraft for $26.4 million. Also, in 2007, the company began to make the Cessna 162 in China By Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. Cessna saved $71,000 per aircraft in production costs. Numerous customers found this alarming considering the number of layoffs in the United States.

Cessna Aircraft careers suffered immensely during the recession. The company had to lay off more than half of its employees between the first half of 2009 to last half of 2010. The company laid off both salaried and hourly workers. In total, 7600 workers were laid off from Cessna Aircraft. Cessation of the Cessna Citation also occurred during this time period in an effort to protect the current markets and secure the future of the company.

Working at Cessna historically has been a pleasant experience. The Cessna culture is generally supportive, but the economy has not been kind to the company. Cessna Aircraft benefits are above average. Former employees had pleasant things to say about the benefits package.

What jobs pay the most at Cessna Aircraft Co.?

Investor is the highest paying job at Cessna Aircraft Co. at $146,000 annually.