Writer

Amy Wilder

The general aviation community is mourning the passing of Russell W. Meyer Jr., Cessna Aircraft chairman and CEO emeritus, who led the manufacturer for 32 years and championed the 1994 General Aviation Revitalization Act. Meyer, 93, died March 4 in Wichita surrounded by loved ones.
A Yale and Harvard Law School graduate, Meyer joined Cessna as an executive v-p in 1974 and was tapped to lead the aircraft manufacturer a year later. During his tenure, Cessna reintroduced single-engine piston aircraft production at a time when it had nearly disappeared in the U.S., and expanded and modernized the company’s Citation business jet line.
An influential voice in national aviation policy and a tireless advocate for general aviation interests, Meyer helped craft legislation that strengthened the industry. His leadership extended across trade organizations and industry coalitions, where he championed collaboration, safety, and the future of flight.
“Russ’ contributions to aviation and humanity are the stuff of legend,” NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen said in a tribute to Meyer. “His leadership on the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994 generated countless aviation jobs.”
Meyer served on the National Commission to Ensure a Strong Competitive Airline Industry in the early 1990s and became close with the head of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2024-08-01/remembering-gara-30-years-later-law-changed-trajectory">helping secure labor support for GARA</a>. Former Kansas Rep. Dan Glickman called Meyer a seminal figure in the legislation’s passage.
At the White House signing of GARA on Aug. 17, 1994, Meyer announced that Cessna would return to piston-aircraft manufacturing and would begin a search for a new location. The company built a new factory in Independence, Kansas, and has produced Cessna 172 piston singles since.&nbsp;
“Russ Meyer was a giant in aviation, not only because of what he built, but because of how he led,” said National Aviation Hall of Fame president and CEO Aimee Maruyama. “He lifted people up. He inspired confidence. And he gave so much of himself to strengthening the future of flight.”
Another brainchild of Meyer’s was the Special Olympics Airlift, which continues to bring joy to athletes, coaches, aircraft owners, pilots, and volunteers. “His creation of the Special Olympics Airlift demonstrated the generous heart of our special industry,” Bolen wrote. Textron will host the airlift again this summer.
Meyer was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2009. He chaired GAMA three times and remained active in the industry with CitationPartners. He received the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy, the Collier Trophy twice, and NBAA’s Meritorious Service to Aviation Award. Meyer also made contributions to the Wichita Boys and Girls Club.&nbsp;
He is survived by his wife, Helen, and their five children.
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Russell W. Meyer Jr., Cessna Aircraft Leader and GARA Champion, Dies at 93

Meyer transformed general aviation, championing the Citation family and GARA passage in 1994

Russell W. Meyer Jr., who led Cessna for 32 years and championed the 1994 General Aviation Revitalization Act, died March 4 surrounded by loved ones. He was 93.

Russell Meyer, Cessna Leader and GARA Champion, Dies at 93

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