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facturing, and avionics technology. Promise a reasonable party. By the end of 2002 when Cessna announced schedule and then stick to it. Sell it at a believable price that Cessnathe Mustang,Aircraft itcameseemedlate thatto theeveryonevery-light-jetwith a (VLJ)CAD provides real value relative to other larger jets, but still nets program and a roll of fiberglass had announced plans to the company some profit. build a VLJ.These Johnny-come-latelies to the jet world had To cut through the hype from all of the unproven designs nothing to lose by promising breathtaking performance at and companies, Cessna stamped its Mustang marketing ma• piston-twin prices-ready for delivery at the end of the next terial with a brilliantly simple slogan: Sure thing. quarter. But with its stellar reputation on the line and plenty The two words reminded potential customers that no one to lose by over-promising or under-delivering, Cessna need• has certified and built more business jets than Cessna. Put ed to tread carefully. You don't get to be an 80-year-old com• your trust in a proven company. pany with a global reputation for quality and service by It worked. Orders poured in. building schlock, especially in the business-jet market And although Eclipse Aviation uslially gets the credit for where Cessna has dominated for decades. fostering the notion of a very light jet, Cessna's entrance legit• What to do? imized the market to many buyers. Leverage your position as the world's authority on design• So with orders in hand, Cessna in late 2002 set about deliv• ing, building. certificating, and marketing business jets. And ering on its promise to build a six-seat jet capable of carrying a Cessna did just that, outlining a plan to build a small, highly single pilot and three passengers at speeds up to 340 knots true capable jet that takes advantage of new powerplant, manu- airspeed and on trip lengths of 1,150 nm with IFR reserves. Certification was scheduled for the third inal Cessna 500), the Mustang is classic The MFD dominates the Mustang's G1000 quarter of2006. simple Citation from a flight control panel; here it shows Garmin's Safe Taxi and systems standpoint. It is easier to depiction. Engine gauges and EICAS are And in the third quarter of 2006, it did stacked in two columns on the left side. just that, delivering an airplane that ex• fly than any other Citation, and that's actly met the specs outlined four years good because most of the 260 orders so earlier. Meanwhile, many of the other far are from those who have little to no ed high on the fuselage are the most companies either don't exist anymore or turbine time. distinctive difference from the rest of they are struggling to reach certification From the moment you walk up to it to the herd. They are placed at eye level or serial deliveries. the moment you touch down on the for seated passengers, giving the cabin stout trailing-link landing gear, you get a more open feeling. Traditional Cita• A horse is a horse, of course the feeling that this is a robust, sturdyair• tion windows are taller and more rec• Cessna Chairman, Chief Executive Offi• plane built to be easy to maintain and fly. tangular, but wider in the middle. cer, and President Jack Pelton doesn't like It appears larger on the ramp than Even the doors to jets can be intimi• to call the Citation Mustang a very light you might imagine. The T-tail and em• dating to open. With the Mustang, from jet. Instead, he says, the light jet is simply pennage have the appearance of clas• the inside or the outside, it's a one• an extension of the ubiquitous Citation sic Citation. The wing appears similar handed affair. Simply lift the lever and line, of which 4,500 examples have.been to other Citations, but is in fact all new. turn. It's feather light. built over the past 35 years, with fleet The fuselage and nose section, howev• A nonflushing lavatory is opposite flight hours now totaling 20 million. er, look quite different from the earlier the door-the kind that allows the mar• He's right. The Mustang is Citation models. The nose and windshield are keting staff to say it has a lav,but not one through and through, even though it is more sloped. The door is a constant 24 you'd probably want to use, especially a completely new design. Although inches in width, whereas other Citation since it is separated from the cockpit smaller than any other Citation (but doors narrow toward the bottom. The and the cabin by only curtains. Just for• not a lot different in scale than the orig- Mustang's oval-shape windows mount- ward of the lav is a basic refreshment AOPA PILOT. 70· IUNE 2007 • Six elliptical windows at passenger eye level give the cabin a roomy feel; pleated shades can be raised up to keep the sun out. The cabin fuselage area is a constant 55 inches wide. A four• inch dropped aisle extends for the length of the cabin. cabinet with storage for charts and es shorter from the bottom of the aisle other pilot supplies. To the right of the to the headliner, but again, it feels about door are four club seats. The two aft-fac• the same size as the CJ, except in cabin ing seats recline. The two rear seats in a length. With its small aft baggage com• bench configuration are against the aft partment, the crs cabin is a foot longer. bulkhead and don't recline. None of the Like its larger cousins, the Mustang has seats articulates away from the side• a large nose baggage compartment and walls as seats do in many larger jets. But an even larger aft compartment that can the fixed seats still seem to provide handle skis. ample comfort, mostly because the The Mustang's cabin with its leather cabin is wider at the bottom, giving pas• seats, tinted windows, power outlet, 10 sengers more hip and foot room. Other cup holders (apparently passengers Citations have circular cabins. At 55 drink a lot, which may say something inches, the Mustang's cabin is about 3 about our piloting skills), and two work inches narrower than the CitationJet tables is complete and comfortable, if a (Cn, but it doesn't feel that way inside. bit Spartan by business-jet standards. Similarly, the Mustang's cabin is 3 inch- The Go button The cockpit, meanwhile, is a mixture of simple systems and wondrously sophis• ticated avionics. The two dual-channel full authority digital engine control Specifications Landing distance, ground roll 2.390 ft (FADEC) systems make engine start a Powerplants Two Pratt & Whitney snap, for example. Push the start button PW615F. 1,460-1b thrust Limiting and Recommended and as soon as rotation starts, move the Recommended T80 3.500 hr Airspeeds thrust lever into the idle position. With Length .40 ft 7 in VFE(max flap extended) 0 degrees to Height 13 ft 5 in Takeoff/Approach 185 KIAS that, one of the Pratt &Whitney engines Wingspan .43 ft 2 in VFE(max flap extended) Takeoff/Approach spools up on its own-all carefully mon• Wing area 210 sq ft to Landing 150 KIAS itored by the FADEC. Wing loading .41.2 Ib/sq ft VlE (max gear extended) 250 KIAS It is really the new generation of Seats 1+5 VlO (max gear operating) Cabin length 14 ft 9 in Extend 250 KIAS small turbine engines that has made Cabin width 55 in Retract 185 KIAS the VLJ movement possible. Cessna Cabin height.. 54 in VMO(max operating speed) sea level to chose the P&W Canada PW615F en• Standard empty weight 5,350 Ib 27,120 feet 250 KIAS gines to power the Mustang. This newly Max ramp weight 8,730Ib MMO(max Mach number) 27,120 feet Useful load 3,380 Ib and above Mach 0.63 certificated engine produces 1,460 Payload w/full fuel 800 Ib pounds of thrust at sea level and is flat Max takeoff weight 8.645 Ib For more information, contact Cessna rated up to 25 degrees Celsius, mean• Max landing weight.. 8,000 Ib Aircraft Company, PO Box 7706, Wichita, ing you'll get that much thrust even on Zero fuel weight 6,750 Ib Kansas 67277; telephone 316/517-6212; a warm day. The time between over• Fuel capacity 385 gal/2,580 Ib fax 316/517-5658; or visit the Web site Baggage capacity (www.citation.cessna.com) . hauls is 3,500 hours right out of the Nose 320 lb. 20 cu ft box, which is remarkable for a brand• Tail 300 Ib, 37 cu ft All specifications are based on manufactur• new engine. Hot-section inspections er's calculations. All performance figures are not necessary until 1,750 hours and Performance are based on standard day, standard atmos• they can be performed without remov• Takeoff distance. ground roll* 3,110 ft phere, sea level, maximum gross weight Max cruise speed 340 kt. 35,000 ft conditions unless otherwise noted. *Takeoff ing the engine from the aircraft. Range. N8AA IFR Range 1,150 nm distance balanced field length to Part 23 Lightweight, powerful, and fuel effi• Max operating altitude .41,000 ft Commuter Category, 15 degrees flaps. cient, the engines allow the Mustang to offer good performance at miniscule AOPA PILOT· 71· JUNE 2007 ! fuel burns of around 460 pounds per protect the wing and tail areas from ice.

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