Cessna Aircraft has slected FlightSafety International has been selected to provide initial type training for the company's Citation Mustang new generation entry-level jet.

According to Roger Whyte, Cessna's senior vice president of sales and marketing, "The selection of FlightSafety is the extension of a mutually beneficial relationship that has existed for more than three decades."

Training will be available to Mustang buyers prior to the delivery of the first aircraft late next year and will be conducted at the FlightSafety Cessna Learning Centers in Wichita, Kan., and Farnborough, England.

"Due to the large number of overseas orders, it was determined that the location for training close to the customer was an absolute must," Whyte said.

Bruce Whitman, President, FlightSafety International, said, "We are pleased Cessna has selected FlightSafety as their training partner for the Mustang and look forward to serving the owners and operators of this new aircraft. Our experience, industry-leading technical expertise and comprehensive training programs will contribute to the safe operation of the Mustang."

Distance learning will be used to provide Mustang-specific and ancillary courses via the worldwide web. The use of distance learning will maximize the time spent at the learning center by focusing on the essential simulator training element of the initial course.

Cessna also announced FlightSafety International will provide Mentoring Services for Citation Mustang customers. The Mentoring Services concept provides pilots who have been type rated on the aircraft with the opportunity to fly with FlightSafety instructors for a period of time before they begin operating the aircraft on their own. A core set of operational scenarios will be coupled with the routes to be flown by the customer to strengthen proficiency in day-to-day Mustang operation.

FlightSafety will design and build two motion-based Level "D" flight simulators and two avionics flight training devices (FTD).

The Citation Mustang is a twin-engine, turbofan powered, six-place business jet. Designed to operate at altitudes up to 41,000 feet, the Mustang was first announced at the 2002 NBAA convention. The prototype aircraft made its first flight April 23 and, to date, has logged 248 hours. The first production Citation Mustang achieved first flight Aug. 29, a month earlier than planned. FAA certification of the aircraft is expected in late 2006

FMI: www.cassna.com, www.flightsafety.com