First-Ever Cessna Jet Produced Outside Wichita Rolls Out

This week, the Cessna Aircraft Company held a celebration marking 10 years of producing Cessna's single engine piston aircraft at the company's Independence, KS manufacturing facility.

Over the past decade, more than 6,000 Cessna 172 Skyhawks, 182 Skylanes and 206 Stationairs have been built, painted, flight tested and delivered to customers, since the company resumed single-engine production in 1996.

"Cessna is known as the company that teaches the world to fly -- more people have learned how to fly in a Cessna single engine aircraft than in anything else," said Cessna Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Jack J. Pelton. "Cessna has made more than 150,000 single engine piston airplanes, making Cessna's single engine fleet the largest in the world."

The event, held Wednesday, was significant for another reason, as well -- it marked the rollout of the first-ever Cessna jet to be built outside of Cessna's plant in Wichita, a Citation Mustang. Independence will produce all Mustangs, which are expected to receive FAA certification by the end of this year.

"Our Independence employees should be very proud of this and of all they've accomplished," Pelton (below) said.

In order to bring the Mustang to Independence, Cessna spent more than $20.4 million in building expansion, adding more than 120,000 square feet to the already-huge SE plant. The expansion includes a new flight test building, new paint facility and a new customer center, with a showroom hangar where customers are first presented the keys to their new airplane.

"The next 10 years look equally bright in Independence," Pelton said. "I see us continuing production of our single engine aircraft alongside the Mustang indicating continuing growth for Cessna in Montgomery County."

FMI: www.cessna.com