Cessna's message here is that the slumping market has not stalled
the company's plans to keep its products modern, according to
senior vice president for product engineering Jack Pelton. Stepping
in for CEO Charlie Johnson, who is on medical leave, Pelton says
that the company will be emphasizing progress with the Sovereign,
on the point of certification, the CJ3, just starting flight tests,
and 2002's new project, the Mustang.
Progress with the Mustang has vindicated Cessna's decision to
price the aircraft above its new-start rivals, says Pelton. "We
feel that we have the right product at the right price-truly the
best value," he says. "At the end of the day, we have
to deliver products that meet the requirements that the customer
is expecting to meet. In the last ten years we've developed and
certified eight new jets, and every one of those has matched our
original promises."
The Mustang has no radical features and its CJ ancestry is clear, but it represents
a step in a continuous process of improvement in Cessna products,
says Pelton. "The evolution started with the first CJ, and
since then we have made subtle, purposeful changes to focus on design
for manufacture and assembly, enhancing our quality while reducing
parts count and labor hours."
The Sovereign, for example, is the first Cessna to be produced
"outside-in" on outer mold line (OML) tooling, using vacuum
pads to hold skin panels in place while ribs and stringers are attached.
The process provides easier access to the interior and yields a
smoother external surface. The Mustang will use the same process.
The new Mustang mock-up here will include a representation of
the Garmin G1000 avionics system, complete with its 15-inch central
display-the biggest in the industry, says Pelton. "Apart
from its visual appeal, the situational awareness is incredible,"
says Pelton. "We're just finishing the symbology and some
of that will be on display at NBAA."
Also under development is the training system that will help Mustang
buyers move into the new aircraft. "From today's performance
singles to the Mustang is a very easy transition," says Pelton,
"and training technology is moving faster than aircraft technology."
Although Mustang pilots will be type-rated under jet rules, rather
than being rated for a class of airplanes, Pelton does not expect
that to impede sales to owner-pilots.
Overall, Cessna "expects to see a nice improvement in the
market in 2005," Pelton says, "but we're not complacent.
We're continuing to improve our operating efficiencies, and continuing
to invest in new products."
