Actor/pilot Harrison Ford accepted the position of honorary chairman of Cessna’s 2010 Special Olympics Airlift at NBAA’08. “It is an opportunity for the athletes, an opportunity for Cessna to demonstrate its community-minded approach, and an opportunity for all of us in aviation to do something positive and high-profile to promote aviation at a time when aviation faces some difficulties,” Ford said.

Cessna is seeking volunteers to transport some 2,000 athletes to the next Special Olympics, which will be held July 17 to 24, 2010, in Lincoln, Neb. The company would like to secure at least 325 Citations to support the effort. Cessna began transporting Special Olympics athletes and coaches in 1985 with two company aircraft. Since then, the airlift has grown to a volunteer effort that includes hundreds of Citation owners who make their aircraft and crews available to Special Olympians and their coaches.