WICHITA, Kan. (Dec. 10, 2009) – In celebration of the upcoming holiday season and in appreciation of our service men and women, Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) today announced it will transport Santa Claus and one of his elves to 10 military facilities across the United States next week to spread holiday cheer to military personnel and their families. Santa wouldn’t have it any other way than to travel on the world’s largest, fastest and most technologically advanced single-pilot business jet – the Beechcraft Premier IA. Santa’s Premier Flight is in support of Santa’s Traveling Workshop Foundation.
“Only Rudolph and his fellow reindeer can compete with the Premier IA’s unmatched performance and efficiency,” said Bill Boisture, HBC Chairman and CEO. “The Premier IA’s impressively spacious cabin and long list of passenger amenities will also be a good fit for this version of Santa’s sleigh and his load of gifts. We are proud to assist Santa and show our appreciation to our military men, women and families for their service to our country.”
HBC will follow Santa and his crew on its Web site at www.hawkerbeechcraft.com/santa. With the Premier IA, Santa will make stops at the following locations Dec. 14-18:
· Walter Reed Army Medical Center – Washington, D.C.
· National Naval Medical Center – Bethesda, Md.
· Fort Bragg, N.C.
· Fort Stewart, Ga.
· Fort Hood, Texas
· Brooke Army Medical Center – San Antonio, Texas
· North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command – Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
· Fort Carson, Colo.
· Fort Lewis/McChord Air Force Base, Wash.
· Naval Medical Center San Diego, Calif.
NORAD, which has been tracking Santa since 1958, will be providing an Air Mission Brief to Santa in preparation for his big night.
With a cruising speed greater than 520 mph – 50 mph faster than its nearest competitor – the Premier IA delivers the performance and capabilities of a much larger jet while providing the economy and efficiency normally found in light jets. It has the largest cabin in its class – at nearly 30 percent larger than what you find in its nearest competitor. As the first and only composite fuselage light jet on the market, the Premier IA’s composite structure has unprecedented structural strength, efficiency and extremely high resistance to fatigue and corrosion. Its fully integrated state-of-the-art avionics suite, combined with the quietest cabin and lowest operating cost, makes the Premier IA the best value light jet on the market. Further, for an unprecedented three years in a row, the Premier was ranked #1 for quality aircraft service and support in a Professional Pilot Corporate Aircraft Product Support survey.
Hawker Beechcraft Corporation is a world-leading manufacturer of business, special mission and trainer aircraft – designing, marketing and supporting aviation products and services for businesses, governments and individuals worldwide. The company’s headquarters and major facilities are located in Wichita, Kan., with operations in Salina, Kan.; Little Rock, Ark.; Chester, England, U.K.; and Chihuahua, Mexico. The company leads the industry with a global network of more than 100 factory-owned and authorized service centers. For more information, visit www.hawkerbeechcraft.com.
