Also Unveils Plans For First European MSU

Cessna is set to begin construction of its new Citation Service Center in Valencia, Spain, in January of next year, they said Monday at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE).

California-based Jacobs Engineering Group will design and build the new center, which is scheduled to begin operations in 2012. Jacobs is managing the project through its office in Madrid.

“There are some 400 Citations within a 90-minute radius of the Valencia airport, making it a prime location that will greatly enhance service options for our European operators,” said Jack Pelton, Cessna chairman, president and CEO. “The cooperation from Spanish authorities at all levels has been outstanding.”

Valencia Service Center Artists Rendering

The new facility in Valencia will augment the Cessna Citation Service Center in Paris. It will include 64,000 square feet of hangar space and about 88,264 square feet of office, storage and shop space. Cessna plans to begin hiring employees next year and will work with FlightSafety International to fulfill maintenance training requirements.

But, if you need Cessna to come to you, the company also announced it will activate its first European Mobile Service Unit later this year. The MSU will provide local customer service for southern Europe as part of ServiceDirect, which brings Citation service to the customer’s hangar. Additionally, Cessna opened its European Citation parts distribution center in 2009 to offer faster delivery throughout the region

“The Cessna Mobile Service Unit, part of our ServiceDirect program, has already proven its worth to our customers in the United States,” said Mark Paolucci, senior vice president, Customer Service. “With more than 1,000 Citations delivered to European customers, we have put a great emphasis on expanding service options here. Adding the new MSU, along with the full array of ServiceDirect options, is a natural progression to ensure Citation customers in Europe are getting the best service.”

Cessna MSU Europe Artists Rendering

The European MSU will be based at a still-to-be-determined location in southern France and will cover an area including southern France, Geneva, northern Italy and northern Spain. As with the U.S.-based MSUs, the European version will be capable of a variety of maintenance functions from simple line maintenance to major repairs including engine changes.

The new Citation MSU will complement the company’s Citation Service Center at Le Bourget Airport near Paris. Other recent European actions include setting up a new spare parts distribution center in Amsterdam and the announcement of a new Citation Service Center in Valencia.

FMI: www.cessna.com