ARINC Engineering Services, LLC, a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group, Dec. 13 announced it has entered into a business relationship with Cessna Aircraft [TXT], to perform design, engineering and physical modification work to equip Cessna customer aircraft for special mission operations.
“ARINC was selected to participate in this RFI due to our past successful association with Cessna, and our exceptional reputation in the aircraft modification business,” Robert Moore, ARINC senior manager, business development, said. “We are very excited at the prospect of stepping into a larger role in support of the world’s leading producer of general aviation planes.”
The work will be done at ARINC’s new Aircraft Modification Operations Center located in Oklahoma City, Okla. ARINC thus becomes one of Cessna’s preferred suppliers for special mission modifications.
Cessna will call on ARINC to design and engineer airframe modifications, obtain FAA and foreign certification of modifications, accomplish the actual physical modifications, and train customers in the support and use of modifications in the field, the company said.
ARINC will provide services for the entire inventory of Cessna aircraft, including the Mustang, CJ series, 500 series, 680, 750, and others.
Based on unit sales, Cessna is the world’s largest manufacturer of general aviation airplanes. In 2006, Cessna delivered 1,239 aircraft including 307 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of about $4.2 billion.
The Carlyle Group acquired Annapolis, Md.-headquartered ARINC in October.