LOOP News

8 FEB 08: MUSTANG ARRIVES IN THE UK

‘Star’ treatment for first UK-based Cessna ‘entry-level’ jet

THE first of the new Cessna Mustang jets to be based in the UK was given a spectacular launch party at Farnborough at the end of January. London Executive Aviation, the UK’s biggest private jet operator, unveiled the first of ten Mustangs that will be available for charter in the UK. Registered G-LEAI, the Mustang will fl y with two pilots and four passengers. LEA says it will cost up to 30% less than other jets.
The new aircraft will enter charter service with LEA in mid February, making LEA Europe’s first Citation Mustang fleet operator.

The aircraft is Cessna’s 52nd Mustang to be produced. LEA’s chief executive Patrick Margetson- Rushmore said, “LEA is delighted to be the first UK operator to introduce the Citation Mustang.

“It is the perfect business aircraft for Europe, with ample space for the average group size and a non-stop flying range that comfortably includes virtually all the Continent’s top destinations.

“With the Mustang, we can offer all the key benefits of a larger jet, but at a substantially lower price. We call it the Mercedes S Class with wings.”

LEA expects the Mustang to see demand for longer UK journeys, such as London to Plymouth or Bristol to Scotland, and popular European business destinations will include Paris, Frankfurt and Zurich.
“The Mustang will also increase the crossover of jet chartering from business use to leisure,” says Margetson-Rushmore.

“If you want a weekend’s skiing in Chambery or a memorable day’s golfing in Ireland, it couldn’t be simpler.

For senior people who need to make the most of their scarce leisure time we think this will prove very attractive.”

Other operators are standing by to receive their Cessna Mustangs soon. One is a start-up air taxi operator called Blink, due to get its first aircraft in May. It has raised $30m in finance and has a total of 30 Mustangs on order, making it the largest such operator in Europe when all the aircraft are flying.
W: www.mustang.cessna.com

PLANE JANE
THOUGH most Cessna Mustangs are due to be fl own by charter operators, the very first one to arrive in Europe was for a private pilot – entrepreneur Jane Howells, last year. She plans to use it to fly between homes and business in Italy, Austria and London.

Jane moved up to the jet from a twin turboprop King Air to the Mustang, with the help of Cessna’s two-week training course at US training firm FlightSafety.

The final part of the course is 25 hours of ‘mentoring’ – flying with another pilot experienced on type.

London Calling
LONDON Executive Aviation is the UK’s largest executive aircraft charter operator and was named Best General Aviation Operator in the Baltic Air Charter Association’s 2007 and 2006 Excellence Awards.
The company claims to operate the largest diverse fleet of executive aircraft in the UK. LEA is also the only executive aviation company with a full base at London City airport, and it operates five further bases around London, with its HQ at Stapleford. LEA was also the first operator to join the business aviation industry’s own carbon balancing scheme.
W: www.flylea.com

WHAT’S IN THE NAME
FULL name of the Mustang is the Cessna Citation 510, and Cessna refers to it as its ‘entry-level jet’ rather than ‘Very Light Jet’, the term the industry has given the new breed of small jets.
The Mustang’s rivals are first and foremost, the Eclipse EA500, and the Embraer Phenom 100 which is still under development. Both are twin engine jets.

Single engine jets such as the Diamond D-Jet and Cirrus ‘the-jet’ are more likely to appeal to owner-pilots rather than businesses, especially here in Europe where twin engines are the norm for commercial ops.
What’s made the new generation of VLJs possible is the combination of new, small, powerful turbofan engines from Pratt & Whitney Canada and also Williams, and the latest glass cockpits from Garmin and others.

Garmin’s G1000 panel – and others such as the Avio NG used in the Eclipse – is totally integrated into the aircraft’s systems as well as displaying instrumentation and navigation. The improvement in control and situational awareness means single pilot IFR operation is much easier to achieve. However, most European charter operators will have two pilots – a captain and co-pilot – for safety and for the reassurance of passengers.

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LOOP News

8 FEB 08: MUSTANG ARRIVES IN THE UK