First Production Citation M2 Roll-Out

Cessna Aircraft Co., a Textron Inc. company, is celebrating the first production unit of the Citation M2, Cessna’s newest business jet, which left the company’s manufacturing facility in Independence, Kan., last week. Deliveries of the M2 are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2013. 

 

“Seeing the M2 roll off the assembly production line was a special moment,” according to Lily English, general manager of Cessna’s Independence, Kan. manufacturing plant. “Engineering, production and planning − this is a huge achievement for the whole team, and great news for M2 customers. The collaboration and cross-functional support within Cessna helped make this day happen. We have filled the assembly line, and now look forward to seeing M2s roll out of these doors for a long time to come.” 

 

Nearly 500 full-time Cessna employees work at the 500,000ft² facility in Independence. The facility handles assembly, paint and interiors for the Citation M2, as well as for the Citation Mustang and the company’s single-engine piston products. The Independence facility has manufactured over 10,000 aircraft since opening in 1995.

 

The Citation M2 is designed with capabilities and features based on insights provided by pilots and customers. It can fly up to six passengers economically and in comfort on a 1,300nm flight. The Cessna Intrinzic flight deck has Garmin G3000 avionics as its centerpiece, providing familiar cabin architecture for Cessna pilots. The high-resolution multifunction display features split-screen capability and touchscreen interactivity, providing pilots with the precise performance information they need at the touch of a button.

 

The Citation M2 features two Williams FJ44 engines and a cruising speed of up to 400kts (460mph). The M2 has the range to fly passengers non-stop from New York, N.Y. to Houston, Texas; Rio de Janerio, Brazil to Buenos Aires, Argentina; or Amsterdam, Netherlands to Moscow, Russia. The M2 can climb to a flight level of 41,000ft in 24 minutes, is single-pilot certified, and has a useful load of 3,809 lb. 

 

In another milestone for the manufacturer, the first production unit of the new Citation X took its maiden flight last week, attaining an altitude of 49,000ft on a flight pattern over western Kansas. The aircraft attained a top speed of Mach 0.935 (617mph) during a 3.1-hour flight with an average cruise speed of Mach 0.915 (604mph) at 41,000ft. An auto throttle system on the X delivers flight performance advantages with greater situational awareness and reduced crew workload, according to Gary Drummond, Cessna senior production test pilot and the flight’s pilot in command.

 

First flight of the new Citation X occurred on Jan. 17, 2012. Deliveries are expected to begin early next year.