Cessna's Citation Mustang is making its mark across a wide spectrum of the general aviation community. Of the over 300 orders taken since the Mustang's introduction in September 2002, orders are split 50-50: half the roders are non-US.

"It's really gratifying to see how broad the appeal of this airplane is. Although we continue to learn more about the flight experience of our Mustang customers, and how they plan to use their airplane, our profiles reveal that they certainly do not fit into any one specific category," said
Phil Michel, Cessna Vice President of Marketing. "As we expected, many pilots are moving into the Mustang from single and multi-engine aircraft, but we also have many operators who are purchasing the Mustang as a stable mate to an existing fleet of light, medium and large business jets. The success of the Mustang has been due to its remarkable combination of performance capabilities and attractive price."

What's it Like?

The Mustang will be certified as a FAR Part 23 aircraft, with a cruise speed of 340 knots, and maximum operating altitude of 41,000 feet. It will be powered by the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW615F engine and will be controlled by a dual-channel FADEC. Each PW615F engine will provide 1,350lbs of thrust flat rated to ISA+10*C.

Garmin International's new G1000 integrated glass cockpit will provide operators with enhanced situational awareness. The G1000 will include three glass displays, two 10-inch PFDs, with a 15-inch MFD at the heart of the panel. 

EBACE Orders Encouraging

Cessna Aircraft Company has received orders for five Citation Mustangs from MAC Aviation, s.a. The fleet of Mustangs will provide corporate, charter and organ transplant services within Spain, Europe, and northern Africa.

Based in Zaragoza, Spain, MAC Aviation was founded in 1985 and is Spain's first air-taxi service company. In addition to JAR-OPS1 air-taxi and charter services, MAC Aviation provides aircraft handling and maintenance, JAR-FCL flight training, and special missions. It is owned by the PROYEX group, one of the largest privately-owned quality assurance groups in Spain.

Mr. Octavio Pérez, CEO of MAC Aviation, chose the Mustang light jet. "The Mustang is the kind of
plane that perfectly fits the average light jet flight in Europe. We anticipate our typical mission to be two persons and 1.5 flight hours. The Mustang builds upon the Citations' long-established reputation for reliability, low cost of operation, ease of crew training, and maintenance assurance -- no other airplane manufacturer can offer this to an European operator. In addition to the aspects of the financial operation, the Mustang is the perfect tool for the kind of services we currently offer, where safety, reliability and customer satisfaction is our goal."

Certification is expected in mid-2006 with first customer deliveries in the fourth quarter 2006.  

FMI: www.cessna.com