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January 20, 2006
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Athletes arriving for the games during the 1999 Cessna Citation Airlift. |
The fifth Citation Special Olympics Airlift – the single largest peacetime airlift in history – will bring nearly 2,500 athletes and coaches from across the nation to compete in the 2006 Special Olympics U.S. National Games at Iowa State University this summer.
Originally conceived by then Cessna Chairman, Russ Meyer, in 1986, the airlift is made possible in part through the generosity of corporations and individual Citation owners and operators who donate their Citation jets, pilots and fuel to transport athletes to the games.
“We applaud Cessna and their Citation aircraft owners for providing this opportunity to our Special Olympics athletes,” said Timothy Shriver, Chairman and CEO of Special Olympics. “Thanks to Cessna, more athletes will have the chance to showcase their abilities at the National Games, which means that more attitudes will be changed and more lives will be transformed.”
On July 1, 2006, Citation jets will take off for the games at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa from approximately 35 states. During that 12-hour period, a Special Olympics Citation will land or take off every 30-60 seconds.
“The success of the Citation Special Olympics Airlift depends on the collaboration and tremendous support we receive from individuals within Cessna, the FAA, on-site airport officials, local fixed base operators, hundreds of volunteers from the community, the Special Olympics organization, and most importantly, Citation owners and operators,” said Jack Pelton, Chairman, President and CEO of Cessna. “Without each of these groups donating their time and resources, we would never be able to stage this type of event. And, everyone would agree that all the work leads up to that moment when a Citation door opens and an athlete steps out smiling from ear-to-ear.”
The first Citation Special Olympics Airlift occurred in 1987 and involved more than 130 Citations carrying nearly 1,000 athletes to games held in South Bend, Indiana. In 1999, 275 Citations donated by 260 individuals and companies transported over 2,000 athletes and coaches to the games held in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina.
The Citations will return at the end of the games to pick up the athletes and return them to their homes, traveling up to three hours each way. As many as seven athletes and a coach or sponsor will travel in each Citation.
“Participants are excited not only because they are about to compete in events they’ve been practicing for year-round, but for many athletes this is their first airplane ride,” said Pelton.
Through year-round athletic training and competition in 26 Olympic-type sports for more than 1.4 million children and adults with intellectual disabilities in more than 150 countries, the Special Olympics has created a model community that celebrates the diverse gifts of people. For more information, visit the Special Olympics website.
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