Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Light business and executive aircraft

Power Plant:

Two 1,460 lbst Pratt & Whitney PW615F turbofans

Specifications:

History:

On 8 September 2006 the Cessna Aircraft Company was granted a Type Certificate for the Citation Mustang, the Model 510, making it the world’s first fully-certified, new-generation entry level business jet. The new design was tested to five airframe lifetimes and was designed for an unlimited airframe lifetime. During flight testing more than 2,200 certification test conditions were achieved.

The Model 510 was fitted with a Garmin G1000 integrated, dual-channel, fail-safe passive digital autopilot and was the first aircraft with an integrated flight deck certified to take advantage of WAAS navigation features. The aircraft was basically constructed of aluminium alloy and had a three-spar wing.

The Citation Mustang, as it was initially known, was a two crew and four to five passenger business jet with a max speed of 644 km/h (400 mph), a range of 2,130 km (1,324 miles) with IFR reserves and a service ceiling of 12,500 m (41,000 ft). The aircraft was assembled at the Independence, Kansas facility of Cessna and was powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW615F turbofans. It had a wide passenger door, eye-level windows for natural light in the cabin, and externally accessed luggage space in the front and rear of the cabin available to take suitcases, golf club or skis.

By the time of certification orders had been received for 250 aircraft. It has been described as a VLJ or very light jet, but Cessna did not consider it to be a VLJ, mainly because it was based on the Company’s experience with larger aircraft, and was certified to the same standards as the Cessna CJ series.

The Mustang first flew on 23 April 2005 and received certification to fly into ‘known icing conditions’ on 9 November 2006. The first production machine was delivered to Mustang Management Group of Fresno, California on 23 November that year. Production continued to meet customer requirements, the first of the type seen in this area (N45FS) being imported in March 2007 for a Victorian operator.

First to be registered in this region was VH-SJP (c/n 510-0011) in mid 2007, followed by VH-CCJ (c/n 510-0033) to CCJ Pty Ltd of Ascot, QLD. One example imported to Australia became VH-YDZ (c/n 510-0070) but in May 2015 it was exported to New Zealand where it became ZK-YDZ.

Further Australian examples registered have included: VH-EJT (c/n 510-0214) with Ivan Erceg of Osborne Park, WA; VH-KXM (c/n 510-0387) with Gulf Coast Aviation of Bowral, NSW; VH-MHO (c/n 510-0363) operated by Flight Options Austral of Mudjimba, QLD; VH-MSU (c/n 510-0300) operated by Avia Aviation of Moorabbin, VIC; VH-NEQ (c/n 510-0029) with VH-NEQ-Pty Ltd of Georges Hall, NSW; VH-PWX (c/n 510-0269) operated by Flight Options Australia; VH-SQW (c/n 510-0294) with 4JS Pty Ltd of Cairns, QLD; VH-SQY (c/n 510-0343) with Cirrus [Australia ] Pty Ltd of Wagga Wagga, NSW; and VH-VSQ (c/n 510-0358) with Eric Saaks of Bondi, NSW.

Further examples in New Zealand have included ZK-JAK (c/n 510-0347) of Jak Air of Rotorua; ZK-LCA (c/n 510-0011) with GESL Aviation Holdings of Hastings; and ZK-RJZ (c/n 0398) with Tirohanga Holdings of Wellington.

Final production aircraft of the Citation Mustang series rolled off the assembly line in May 2017 after 470 examples had been delivered, being replaced on the production line by the Citation M2 which was introduced in 2013.