Aims To Deliver 44 VLJs This Year

Cessna Aircraft Company tells ANN it recently delivered the first European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certified Citation Mustang to Danish entrepreneur Jørgen Andersen. The aircraft will be privately owned and operated by Andersen and his company, JAI.

This is the second Citation Mustang delivered to a European customer following the recently announced delivery to Jane Howell of a US-registered aircraft.

Andersen previously owned a Citation 501. He has been flying jets for the last 10 years.

"I am delighted to have taken delivery of this new Citation Mustang," Andersen said. "It is a wonderfully designed aircraft and is ideal for my frequent trips around Europe and the United States, as I live in California for half the year."

Trevor Esling, vice president, International Sales for Cessna Aircraft, added, "This is another significant milestone for the Mustang which is proving tremendously popular in Europe. It is particularly gratifying that it has been delivered to such a long standing and loyal Cessna customer as Jørgen Andersen and we wish him many happy years of flying his new aircraft."

As ANN reported, the Citation Mustang became the first of a new category of entry-level jets to achieve both full US Federal Aviation Administration type certification (September 8, 2006) and EASA certification (May 21, 2007).

The six-place Mustang has a top speed of 340 ktas, a range of 1,150 nautical miles and a service ceiling of 41,000 feet. Cessna reports more than 400 orders booked for the aircraft, and has delivered 36 Mustangs from the Independence, KS facility since deliveries began earlier this year.

Cessna says it is on track to deliver 44 aircraft in 2007, and plans to ramp up production to 150 Mustangs per year by 2009.

FMI: www.cessna.com