Textron Aviation Inc. on Thursday announced the end of production for the Cessna Citation Mustang, saying the final production model has been assembled and will be delivered in the coming weeks.
The local division of Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) celebrated the jet and its more than 470 deliveries over a 12-year production life in a press release, while also saying that its successor M2 model would continue to be built.
“The Mustang proved to be an incredible success for our company and our customers, and we’re thrilled to celebrate the ingenuity and pride that went in to creating the world’s most popular entry-level light jet,” said Rob Scholl, senior vice president of sales and marketing. “We remain dedicated to developing new products and providing solutions that matter to our customers. The Citation M2 is a great example of this and we believe it will carry on the legacy as the entry-level jet that pilots want and need.”
The move to end Mustang production — both it and the M2 are assembled at the company’s plant in Independence, Kansas — fits with the company’s previously announced plan to trim production on some legacy models in 2017.
It also comes at a time the company has already moved new work to Independence, specifically on its Cessna Caravan program, to clear the way in Wichita for its local workforce on programs like the Cessna Citation Longitude.
A company spokesperson says there is not expected to be any workforce reductions in Independence related to the end of Mustang production.
The company also said in its press release that it will continue to provide service and support to Mustang customers.
Deliveries of the Mustang totaled 10 aircraft in 2016 according to data from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, compared to 38 for the M2.
That had followed on the heels of other slow delivery years, which, combined with the relative success of the M2 in a low-demand segment of the market, had put the Mustang on the chopping block in the eyes of some analysts for several years.