Cessna said Thursday it has begun the initial production run of its Citation M2 light business jet, with certification on track for second quarter of 2013.
Unit 800 is slated for demonstrator purposes, and is expected to roll off the assembly line this April, the company said. The front and aft cabin assemblies for the light business jet are built at Cessna’s Wichita, Kan., facility and are then transported to Independence for final assembly and delivery. More
“The M2 looks to be a fantastic product for the market in the light business jet category,” said Brian Rohloff, business leader for the M2. “We asked our customers what they wanted, and we worked their requests into the M2 design. The outstanding customer response is proof that this aircraft delivers on their needs for mission scope, performance and finishes. Designing and manufacturing products based on customer use and needs is at the heart of Cessna’s legacy and is what has shaped the company’s aviation pride through the years.”
The jet features Garmin G3000 avionics systems, including three 14.1-inch LCD primary and multifunction displays and two infrared, touch-screen control panels, and a new cabin design. It is powered by a pair of FADEC-controlled Williams International FJ44-1AP-21 turbofan engine.
Other Cessna aircraft expected to hit the market in 2013 include the new Citation X, the new Citation Sovereign, the Jet-A fueled Turbo Skylane JT-A and the TTx.
Another Cessna aircraft slated to hit the market in 2013 — Grand Caravan EX — earned FAA Type Certification this week.
“When we started with this design, we knew we could push the performance envelope on the Grand Caravan EX and get it into service for our customers in ‘high and hot’ missions, but the performance we’ve realized through the certification process with the new Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-140 engine has truly exceeded our already aggressive performance targets,” said Lannie O’Bannion, Cessna business leader for the Caravan.