Overview
- Textron Aviation confirmed Meyer died on March 4, 2026 at age 93, with CEO Ron Draper lauding him as a remarkable leader and mentor.
- He joined Cessna in 1974, became chairman and CEO in 1975, led the company for nearly three decades, stepped down as chairman in 2003, and later served as chairman emeritus.
- Widely regarded as the driving force behind the Cessna Citation business-jet family, he oversaw a program that grew to nearly 5,000 deliveries.
- He helped secure passage of the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994, a move credited with stabilizing the sector and enabling Cessna’s piston-aircraft production to resume.
- He founded the Special Olympics Airlift, which has flown athletes to the games for decades, and Textron launched a donation campaign this week in support of the 2026 effort.