By Rob Finfrock
Just as this edition of Flight Levels went to press, Textron Aviation announced the end of production for the well-respected Cessna C510 Citation Mustang light jet. The company stated May 11 that the final production C510 had rolled off the assembly line in Independence, KS and will be delivered to its owner in the coming weeks.
Textron Aviation lauded the ground-breaking Mustang for its successful 12-year production run, noting that the type served as an entry point to jet ownership for many pilots, including dozens of CJP Members.
“The Mustang proved to be an incredible success for our company and our customers, and we’re thrilled to celebrate the ingenuity and pride that went in to creating the world’s most popular entry-level light jet,” said Rob Scholl, Textron Aviation Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing.
Photo by Jessica Ambats
Introduced in 2002 as Cessna’s entry into the then-burgeoning light jet marketplace, the Mustang quickly became the best-selling aircraft in its segment. Cessna counted more than 250 orders in-hand when the C510 earned FAA type certification in Sept. 2006; in the years since, more than 470 Citation Mustangs have been delivered to customers around the globe.
Although a strong seller initially – 125 Mustangs were delivered in 2009, the type’s strongest year – deliveries have dropped off sharply due in part to lower prices on legacy aircraft, as well as several new competitors in the segment. Potential customers have also increasingly looked to larger aircraft, including within the Citation line.
With the end of C510 production, the Cessna Citation M2 (above) is now Textron Aviation’s entry-level jet offering. Based on the vaunted C525 CitationJet, the M2 was introduced in 2013, and nearly 150 aircraft have been delivered to date.
In keeping with the company’s tradition of maintaining support for legacy aircraft, Textron Aviation assured existing Citation Mustang owners that their jets will not be orphaned. “Mustang customers can continue to expect the highest level of service through maintenance, parts and support solutions from our Customer Service organization,” said Kriya Shortt, Senior Vice President for Customer Service.