The Cessna Aircraft Company rolled out its 400th Citation Mustang jet off the assembly line at its Independence, Kan., facility. This milestone was accomplished in a little more than five years since the Mustang's first delivery in November 2006, the company said in a press statement on Friday. Although in February 2010 they said the first Mustang delivery was in 2007.
"Mustang sales remain strong,” said Brian Rohloff, Cessna's Citation Mustang and M2 business leader, “pilots like its ease of operation and low operating costs— it's a compelling airplane.”
The Mustang's most common use is corporate business or personal travel. Its second most common use is air taxi service. In growing popularity, the Mustang is also being used for special missions as medical air transport and as an airline flight training tool.
The worldwide fleet of Mustangs is averaging 480 hours, with 45 Mustangs having accumulated more than 1,000 hours each. High time Mustangs are 1,600 hours (typical operation) and 2,200 hours (fleet operation).
The program was announced at the 2002 National Business Aviation Association convention and the aircraft made its first flight in April 2005 and received FAA type certificate in September 2006. Coming in at just over $3 million (2012 delivery), the Mustang features Garmin avionics, Pratt & Whitney Canada engines and boasts a maximum 1,100-nautical mile range.
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