The best way that I can think of to describe Cessna’s new light jet Mustang is that it is, in all respects, a Citation. That means it has pleasant and predictable flying qualities, uncomplicated and robust systems, good payload and range, and it delivers on all of the promises Cessna made when it introduced the airplane four years ago.
Cessna rejects the term “very” light jet for the Mustang and refers to it simply as a light jet. The Mustang is an attractive airplane designed from scratch, powered by new generation engines and equipped with the most advanced avionics in the category, but it is not a revolution. The real revolution happened more than 35 years ago when Cessna introduced the original Citation 500. The weights, performance and even the price of the first Citation are very close to those of the Mustang. Now, with 4,500 Citations delivered by the time you read this-nearly 3,200 of them single-pilot capable-Cessna knows more than any company about light jets, how to design them, build them and support them.
