Cessna Mustang Production Run End

SF50 deliveries have been ramping up. I see a new one being delivered every day.

Cessna also has the M2 now. It's damn nice for the money and kinda makes the Mustang obsolete in the line anyways.

 

I've seen a several Cirrus SF 50s at Centennial here in CO in the last couple months, first one in early March. (I know they're different planes; different colors... couldn't see the N numbers.)

The small M2 seems to be a competitor to the Mustang.

Makes one wonder about the future of the Homely HondaJet.

 

The "minijet" sector is over supplied. From SF50 to Phenom 100/HondaJet.... they all have same range which isn't much. Might as well buy the cheapest one. Hell, with the SF50 out now... Buy 2.

 

I love my Mustang. The M2 replaced it. (Hence the name M2...get it?). As to production ending I feel about it like the guy who has a 458 seeing the 488 rolled out- ambivalence. 10 years and 500 airplanes is a pretty good run and service at the Citation Service Centers is top notch. 100% dispatch rate for me after 3 1/2 years as well. I DO wish I had the G3000 but it just isn't worth the price delta with the M2 to move up.

The airplane fits my mission perfectly..Dallas to either coast in less than 3 hrs burning 500 lbs/hr at FL 410. When going to Key West, which I do every month I go on the overwater portion, something this ol'man simply wouldn't do in any single engine (turbine or not) airplane. I hate water lol.

 

I just looked at the interior of a M2 online. Makes my GIV look like.......its old. Wife and I do KW 3-4 times a year, love it down there.

 

I've never been that impressed with the Mustang, but I have to admit that's a minority view. It goes 10% faster than my turboprop on a bit more fuel, with a similar cabin (but fewer seats and smaller baggage). Less range.

The only thing it really does better is go higher, which certainly is a nice thing, but not worth the additional annual expense or purchase price. To me, anyway.

 

What turboprop? Book speeds are met or exceeded in the Mustang...340 knots. So your turboprop is 305 knots? I found my annual inspection costs average about the same as my previous turboprop.

Also vibration is a huge issue for fatigue. Don't forget that. And don't get me wrong I had a MU2 before this airplane and loved it. So I aint necessarily dissing turboprops - I think they are great. I just love altitude as a great equalizer for weather.

 

M2 is a really nice airplane, but I can't justify the extra 2.5 million to buy one ... yet lol.

KW is a world apart for sure....

Mark

The Saint Hotel Key West | Play Naughty, Sleep Saintly

 

Jetprop Commander 980. 300 knots is pretty easy, basically at FL280 you are limited by the barber pole.

As for the annual costs, that's true, but you are most likely on an engine program, so those costs are going out the door every month. My airplane has about 700 hours to go to overhaul, so basically it's already baked into the value.

You are right about the vibration, though, and the Mustang is quieter. Although ANR headsets go a pretty long way to help that.

Do you get 340 knots at FL410, or is that at lower altitudes?

 

Commander. Very nice. Same designer as one of my favorite airplanes that I once owned - the Aerostar. As to engine program, no I decided to forgo it. It would've cost me 280.00 per hour for both engines (not bad) but I doubt I will ever get to the overhaul since the airplane has only 1200 hours on it. The HOTs are about 60K each so I will just pay for them and expense it on my tax return since the airplane is 90% biz use. I would have to fly 28 more years at 100 hrs a year to get to overhaul so I just decided I'd risk it.

I might regret that someday though lol.

I get 340 up to 390 then about 330 above that. Burning LESS than 550 lbs/hr though which is a little less than you do. The 980 DOES have those great picture windows though and I love Garrett 331 engines! Obviously yours are -10 model with that speed. I had -3 s on my K model MU2 and they were bulletproof.

 

I believe the 980 was the launch airframe for the -10s. It was born with them.

At FL280, I'm burning about 210-220/side, so about 420-440 per hour, depending on temperature.

 

Yeah you are much less temp sensitive than I am..

 

Ive stayed at The Saint 4 times since they switched to an Autograph collection 13 months ago. Was there April 20-25 last month. Marriott Beachside is another fav. We take the free jolly trolly into town and rent bikes for the week. We leave the bikes locked up on Duvall, take a picture of where we left them and go back to the Marriott. Next day, trolley down to Duvall, find bike from drunk picture the night before and repeat.

Ive never flown a turbo prop but dont they mostly top out at 350?. We were at 450 coming home from TEB on Thurs due to a nasty front and we were still skimming the tops. Next plane is gonna have a 510 service ceiling. I will laugh at the clouds.

FWIW
First hour fuel burn is 620ish, then 450 per hour after that with a linear slight decline up to 8.5 hours. Then its time to land.

 

Per side I assume?

 

Thats cool, I was there leaving on the 19th. Ran into the same front and ended going waaaaay out to sea to get around the southern edge (even with TWO engines that made me nervous).

 

Nope, both engines. I'm at 410 now. Fuel flow is 1450 lbs a side.

Dmak, it dumped most of that weekend and cleared up my last day. One day I'll get a trip down there on my plane. Almost got to do it a year ago but we ended up getting clearance to stay in Cuba instead.

 

Ha! I had assumed you meant lbs! Different world I guess. That's fuel burn I can't even comprehend! 🤓 I burn a miserly 190lbs per side at FL410 365kts TAS in my little sardine can! 😛

 

Let me know ahead of time ok? I will fix you up...