RICHMOND HEIGHTS, OHIO — January 17, 2011 – Nextant Aerospace, a pioneer in the field of aircraft remanufacturing, has announced today that Jerry Bemis has been appointed vice president of manufacturing.

“With final FAA certification rapidly approaching, it is now time for Nextant to begin ramping up our remanufacturing capacity,” said Jim Miller, President of Nextant Aerospace.  “Jerry has a proven track record in maintenance leadership and he is uniquely qualified to lead our remanufacturing effort.”

In his new role, Mr. Bemis will have oversight responsibility for all aspects of Nextant’s remanufacturing process.  “This is truly an exciting time to be joining the Nextant team,” stated Mr. Bemis.  “To date, our focus has been on research and design.  It is now time to take the next step in our evolution and transition into production mode.  Due to our significant order backlog, we expect to quickly ramp up our remanufacturing capability and look to hire as many as 150 aircraft maintenance technicians within the next 12 months.”   Nextant expects to deliver 13 aircraft in 2011, 24 aircraft in 2012 and has the ability to ramp production up to 4 aircraft per month.  The company plans to incorporate a Lean Six Sigma approach to its remanufacturing process and the 400XT will be built at their facilities in Cleveland, OH.

Mr. Bemis brings with him over 25 years of aviation experience and has led worldwide maintenance efforts for commercial carriers United and Delta Air Lines in addition to the fractional aircraft provider Flight Options. 

For additional information, please visit www.nextantaerospace.com .

About Nextant Aerospace
Nextant Aerospace was founded in 2007 for the primary purpose of developing an aircraft modernization program.  The company is credited with being the first to introduce the concept of aircraft remanufacturing to the business jet market.

The Nextant 400XT is a remanufactured Beechjet 400A/XP equipped with the Williams FJ44-3AP engines and Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 integrated avionics suite.  The new aircraft also benefits from significant aerodynamic enhancements including newly designed nacelles, pylons and an improved engine mounting configuration.  The 400XT is delivered as a new aircraft with a 2 year tip to tail warranty.  In October of 2010, Nextant announced that they had secured an order for 40 aircraft from the fractional ownership company Flight Options.

Nextant’s design and manufacturing facility is located in Cleveland, OH at the Cuyahoga County Airport (KCGF).  For more information, please visit www.nextantaerospace.com

About Williams International
Williams International is the world leader in small turbine engines and customer support, with headquarters in Walled Lake, Michigan, and a design-to-production facility in Ogden, Utah.  For more information about the company, its products, and support, please visit www.williams-int.com .

About Rockwell Collins
Rockwell Collins (NYSE: COL) is a pioneer in the development and deployment of innovative communication and aviation electronic solutions for both commercial and government applications. Our expertise in flight deck avionics, cabin electronics, mission communications, information management, and simulation and training is delivered by nearly 20,000 employees, and a global service and support network that crosses 27 countries. To find out more, please visit www.rockwellcollins.com

For more information:
Nextant Aerospace
Aimee Dalton
26180 Curtiss Wright Parkway
Cleveland, OH 44143
216.261.9000
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www.nextantaerospace.com