Also Says Mustang Cert Right On Track

At this year's International Air Show in Farnborough, England, Cessna Aircraft Company announced it received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification for the Citation CJ1+ March 13, the Citation CJ2+ July 10 and the Citation CJ3 June 16 -- allowing all of the CJ series aircraft to be certified and registered within the 25 European countries adhering to EASA regulations. EASA certification also allows operators to obtain European registrations.

There are more than 900 airplanes in the CJ fleet with more than 1.3 million flight hours. Cessna says Europe, the Middle East and Africa are the largest markets for the CJ series, after the United States.

Cessna also took the opportunity to share news on the progress of the next Citation jet slated to join the lineup: the Citation Mustang VLJ.

With more than 1,400 total flight hours and more than 850 flights accumulated by the three Citation Mustangs flying in Cessna Aircraft Company's certification program, Cessna reports the Citation Mustang remains on track for Federal Aviation Administration certification later this year and European Aviation Safety Agency certification in second quarter 2007.

To date, Cessna has subjected Mustang airframes to the equivalent of five lifetimes of structural fatigue testing, qualifying it as a no-life-limit airframe.

"Cessna consistently goes beyond what is required when testing and certifying an aircraft, often more than doubling or tripling the hours or cycles considered baseline for certification," said Russ Meyer III, Citation Mustang Program Manager. "For example, instead of the fatigue test article completing the baseline durability test of two lifetimes (30,000 hours) with no damage to the aircraft structure, we will continue testing to five lifetimes (75,000 hours). Many parts of the aircraft are tested to the same levels as commercial airliners. Ensuring Cessna customers have the safest possible aircraft is always our top priority."

Cessna reports that FAA certification tests that have been completed include:

• Flight envelope expansion to maximum airspeeds
• Aircraft stability and control
• Environmental chamber testing (from -40 degrees to 120 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Autopilot certification
• Climb certification

FAA certification tests in progress include:

• Natural icing (flight into known icing)
• Garmin G1000 avionics
• Aircraft performance
• Engine handling and operation

More than 3,100 hours have been accumulated on the Mustang's Pratt & Whitney Canada PW615F dual-channel FADEC engine. Pre-certification development is complete on the engines. The engine has been certified in Canada.

Additionally, static testing is more than 95 percent complete, and the main landing gear surpassed its goal of 75,000 landings, reaching more than 100,000 landings. The nose landing gear has 45,000 landings out of 75,000.

Cessna has also completed structural fatigue testing, with 75,000 aircraft cycles.

With nearly 250 orders, the Mustang is sold out into the third quarter of 2009. Currently, about 60 percent of Mustang orders are from outside of the United States, with 30 percent from Europe. Other significant markets include South America and Australia.

Fifteen Mustangs are currently on the production line in Independence, KS. The first flight of the fourth Mustang occurred June 15, two weeks ahead of schedule. This jet will enter service as a marketing demonstration aircraft later this year.

The Citation Mustang program was announced in September 2002. The six-seat business jet will be certified as a FAR Part 23 aircraft, with a cruise speed of 340 KTAS and maximum operating altitude of 41,000 feet.

FMI: www.cessna.com