Farnborough, England - July 14, 2008 - Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, is approaching the 100th delivery of a Citation Mustang – more than half of which have gone to international owners and operators.
The Citation Mustang, on display this week at the Farnborough International Airshow, is certified in 48 countries and has gained global popularity since entering service in April 2007. Forty-five aircraft were delivered in 2007, and Cessna plans to celebrate the 100th unit in August. The company expects to deliver 100 Mustangs this year, about three of every five going to international customers.
The current fleet of entry-level business jets totals 84 aircraft that have accumulated nearly 10,900 flight hours. The high-time aircraft has logged more than 400 hours.
By applying Textron Six Sigma process methodology, employees at the company’s Independence, Kan., facility now move one Mustang out of production every 12 hours. Continued efforts will lead to Cessna reaching its targeted full production rate of about 150 aircraft per year in 2009.
Orders for the Citation Mustang have surpassed 500, including orders from seven fleet operators. Three have already taken their first deliveries. All current production Citations employ new generation turbofan engines, which meet or exceed the most stringent noise requirements and allow Cessna’s line of business jets to be among the most fuel efficient and achieve some of the lowest emissions in the industry.
The six-place Citation Mustang has a top speed of 630 kilometers per hour (340 knots), a range of 2,130 kilometers (1,150 nautical miles) with NBAA IFR Reserves and a service ceiling of 12,497 meters (41,000 feet), enabling more efficient operations above most weather and commercial traffic. The aircraft features a Garmin G1000 system that includes two 10-inch primary flight displays, one 15-inch multi-function display and the integrated GFC700 dual-channel, fail passive, digital autopilot.
About Cessna Aircraft Company
Based on unit sales, Cessna Aircraft Company is the world's largest manufacturer of general aviation airplanes. In 2007, Cessna delivered 1,272 aircraft, including 387 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of about $5 billion. Cessna has a current backlog of $14.5 billion. Since the company was originally established in 1927, some 190,000 Cessna airplanes have been delivered to nearly every country in the world. The global fleet of more than 5,100 Citations is the largest fleet of business jets in the world. More information about Cessna Aircraft Company is available at http://www.cessna.com.
About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. is a $13.2 billion multi-industry company operating in 34 countries with approximately 44,000 employees. The company leverages its global network of aircraft, defense and intelligence, 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, Fluid & Power, Textron Systems and Textron Financial Corporation. More information is available at www.textron.com.