First Jet Delivered To CA Dealer For Use As Demo

Just in time for Thanksgiving, Cessna Aircraft Company delivered its first Citation Mustang business jet Wednesday, following receipt of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) production certificate (PC) for the aircraft's Independence, KS assembly line.

The first Citation Mustang was delivered to Mustang Management Group (MMG), based in Fresno, CA, which will allow Cessna to lease the aircraft back for a period of ten months for use as a demonstrator. MMG then plans to use the Mustang in its Scott Aviation subsidiary for flight training.

The PC authorizes Cessna to produce, flight test and grant airworthiness certificates for the Mustang. As Aero-News reported, full FAA type certification (TC) for the Citation Mustang was awarded September 8, making it the first in a new category of entry level jets to receive a TC from the FAA.

"We are very proud to be the owners of the first Mustang because we know the Mustang is an iteration of the most successful line of business jets in the world, with the sales and support network to stand behind it," said Kent Scott, president of MMG, Scott Aircraft, and Scott Aviation.

"All of us at Cessna are ecstatic to have these two significant milestones occur in one day -- the delivery of the first Citation Mustang and the awarding of the FAA production certificate," said Cessna Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Jack J. Pelton. "Cessna and the FAA have been working together for months, using our vast jet-building experience as a foundation, and developing new, advanced production and tooling systems to ensure an efficient ramp-up to full production."

The Scott Companies currently have fixed base operations at Fresno International Airport and Fresno Chandler Executive Airport. Their operations include fuel and maintenance services, aircraft sales services, charter services, parts services and they are an authorized Cessna Pilot Center flight school.

The first delivery to a customer who will put the Mustang into regular service will be in the coming months. Cessna expects to deliver 40 Mustangs in 2007, and production will ramp up through 2009.

The six-place Citation Mustang has a top speed of 340 ktas (nearly 400 miles per hour), a range of 1,150 nautical miles (1,323 statute miles/2,130 km - NBAA IFR Reserves) and a service ceiling of 41,000 feet (12,500 m).

FMI: www.cessna.com, www.scottaircraft.com