Cessna has started delivering light M2 and newly-branded Sovereign+ jets a week ahead of an internal, fourth-quarter deadline.
The deliveries follow airworthiness certification by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of both aircraft types.
The Textron subsidiary has been counting on starting deliveries of the M2 and Sovereign+ in the fourth quarter, as sales have slipped since mid-year partly due to the wait for the new models to be certificated.
Cessna also plans to start delivering the new version of the super-midsize Citation X in the first quarter next year, while the Latitude and Longitude programmes remain in development.
All three models include upgrades to the propulsion system and a new flight deck system based on the Garmin G5000 suite.
The M2 is powered with two Williams FJ44-1AP-21 turbofans, and the Sovereign+ is equipped with a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306D engines.
Both models include two new “swooplet” wingtip devices to reduce drag and extend range.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
