WICHITA, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, is today celebrating the first deliveries of the Citation M2 light jet following Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certification.

Citation M2 (Photo: Business Wire)

Brad Thress , Cessna senior vice president of business jets, says: “Cessna is once more redefining the light jet segment with the Citation M2. We’re proud to get the M2 into the marketplace and see the aircraft begin to set the standard for the next generation of business aviation.”

Thress continues: “The Citation M2 is a versatile aircraft that fits many markets and missions, attracting owner-operators looking for an advanced, innovative aircraft of this size, capability, and value. Our launch customer, Stuart Woods , represents this type of customer: owners moving up from their Citation Mustang. Further, many new M2 owners are upgrading from a turboprop, while still others are moving laterally to a newer, same-size business jet. With its single-pilot certification, the Citation M2 has room for six passengers and is faster than many comparable aircraft, making it a strong performer in this segment.”

The Citation M2 was announced in September 2011 with a design driven by customer and pilot feedback. First flight of the Citation M2 prototype occurred in March 2012 and the first production unit flew in August 2013. The development and certification process involved more than 150,000 engineering hours and two aircraft flying nearly 1,000 flight test hours and 360,000 nautical miles.

The Citation M2 has a maximum cruise speed of 400 knots true airspeed (460 miles per hour) and a range of 1,300 nautical miles. The aircraft can operate at airports with runways as short as 3,250 feet and will climb to 41,000 feet in 24 minutes. The Citation M2 is certified for single-pilot operation and features two Williams FJ44 engines. The aircraft can easily handle non-stop legs such as Houston, Texas-Washington D.C.; Chicago-Miami, Fla.; Frankfurt-Moscow; and Dubai, U.A.E.-Mumbai, India.

The M2’s clean cockpit design features Cessna’s proprietary Intrinzic™ flight deck powered by Garmin G3000 avionics with high-resolution multifunction displays and split-screen capability. Touch screen interactivity comparable to a smartphone provides pilots with precise performance information they need in a logical, familiar user interface. From the cockpit divider aft through the rear lavatory, the main passenger cabin of the Citation M2 is 58 inches wide and 11 feet long with a 5-inch dropped aisle providing a cabin height of 57 inches. Eight large windows, roomy adjustable seats and intuitive controls highlight the all-new cabin.

For more information on the Citation M2, visit Cessna.com, and for images of the Citation M2 please visit the Cessna image gallery.

About Cessna

Cessna is the world's leading general aviation company. Since its inception in 1927, Cessna has designed, produced and delivered nearly 200,000 airplanes around the globe. This includes 6,500 Citation business jets, making it the largest fleet of business jets in the world. Today, Cessna has two principal lines of business: aircraft sales and aftermarket services. Aircraft sales include Citation business jets, Caravan single-engine utility turboprops, single-engine piston aircraft and lift solutions by CitationAir. Aftermarket services include parts, maintenance, inspection and repair services. In 2012, Cessna delivered 571 aircraft, including 181 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of $3.111 billion. More information about Cessna Aircraft Company is available at cessna.com.

About Textron

Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. More information is available at textron.com.

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements which may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the efficacy of research and development investments to develop new products or unanticipated expenses in connection with the launching of significant new products or programs; the timing of our new product launches or certifications of our new aircraft products; our ability to keep pace with our competitors in the introduction of new products and upgrades with features and technologies desired by our customers; changes in government regulations or policies on the export and import of our products; volatility in the global economy or changes in worldwide political conditions that adversely impact demand for our products; performance issues with key suppliers or subcontractors; difficult conditions in the financial markets which may adversely impact our customers’ ability to fund or finance purchases of our products; and continued demand softness or volatility in the markets in which we do business.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20131223005369/en/

Source: Textron