With a delivery to an airline in Brazil, Textron Aviation is marking off a milestone with 3,000 Cessna Caravans shipped around the world.

The single-turboprop aircraft was first released in 1985 and is now built in Independence. Textron Aviation employees and representatives from the Brazilian airline, Azul Conecta, celebrated with a special delivery ceremony at the Independence plant late last week.

According to Textron, Caravans are designed for use in remote areas with extreme weather changes, mountainous terrain and rough landing conditions. The aircraft's versatility makes it popular around the world for hauling freight and passengers.