Citation M2 leaves manufacturing line

The first Citation M2 has left the manufacturing line in Independence, Kansas. Deliveries of the Citation M2 are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2013.

“Seeing the M2 roll off the assembly production line was a special moment,” said Lily English, general manager of Cessna’s Independence, Kansas 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.”

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.

”Excitement is building for the M2,” said Brad Thress, Cessna senior vice president, Business Jets. “This jet brings more than capability and craftsmanship to the market. The M2 is such a versatile aircraft: it can perform superbly in many different markets and on a great variety of missions. Businesses appreciate the M2 for its low direct-operating and acquisition costs. It has the performance and capacity that charter operations look for. It has the handling characteristics you need in a training platform, while offering the style and power a private user looks for when taking the next step up in their own aircraft. The M2 delivers across the board, and we are looking forward to its first production flight.”