Cessna Citation Mustang: how 173 jets are really flown
The busiest 5% made more than 13 flights a month and the quietest 5% fewer than 2: over six times as many, on the same type.
The harder end, one aircraft in twenty, is at 49% or more; the easier end near none.
The hardest-worked 5% log 13 flights a month or more; the easiest-used, 2 or less. The middle aircraft sits at 4.
The harder end, one aircraft in twenty, is at 12 h or more; the easier end at 2 h or less.
Fatigue
What each landing and pressurization cycle costs the structure: landings per hour and short hops.
The middle Citation Mustang flies 1.3 hours for every landing. One in twenty lands every 0.8 hours or sooner, the most cycles for its time.
Middle half 1.0–1.6 : 1Harder end: 5% at 0.8 : 1 or lessEasier end: 5% at 2.0 : 1 or more
Middle half 37–69%Harder end: 5% at 88% or moreEasier end: 5% at 20% or less
Middle half 197–411 nmLowest 5%: 126 nm or lessHighest 5%: 559 nm or more
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Spread of trip lengths
All 173 Citation MustangsThe data behind it
Every measure for the 173 North America Citation Mustangs, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026.| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Hours per landing Each aircraft’s average flight hours per landing | 1.3 : 1 | 1.0–1.6 : 1 |
| Short hops Share of legs under 300 nm | 52% | 37–69% |
| Leg length Median leg | 290 nm | 197–411 nm |
Corrosion
What the air around it does overnight: salt, damp and freeze–thaw.
The middle Citation Mustang spends 0% of its nights within 2 km of the coast. One in twenty spends 8% or more of them there.
Middle half 0–1%Harder end: 5% at 8% or moreEasier end: 5% at 0%
Middle half 4.7–9.6 hHarder end: 5% at 12.1 h or moreEasier end: 5% at 1.8 h or less
Middle half 0–20%Harder end: 5% at 37% or moreEasier end: 5% at 0%
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Salt air across the fleet
113 Citation MustangsThe data behind it
Every measure for the 113 of the 173 North America Citation Mustangs with enough nights at known fields, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026 (2 on their record since 1 Jan 2025: too few in the 12 months).| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Salt air Nights within 2 km of the coast | 0% | 0–1% |
| Near the coast Nights within 10 km of the coast | 3% | 0–68% |
| Damp air Hours a day at 80% humidity or more, above freezing | 7.0 h | 4.7–9.6 h |
| Freeze–thaw Nights that froze and thawed within the day | 3% | 0–20% |
| Moisture in the air Average absolute humidity overnight | 8.6 g/m³ | 7.0–10.6 g/m³ |
Engines and brakes
What departures ask of engines, brakes and tires: heat and height, and runway length.
The middle Citation Mustang leaves from a short runway on 0% of its departures. One in twenty does on 8% or more.
Middle half 0–2%Harder end: 5% at 8% or moreEasier end: 5% at 0%
Middle half 1–19%Harder end: 5% at 49% or moreEasier end: 5% at 0%
Middle half 1,354–2,758 ftHarder end: 5% at 4,913 ft or moreEasier end: 5% at 819 ft or less
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Runway margin at departure
9,166 departuresThe data behind it
Every measure for the 173 North America Citation Mustangs, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026 (3 on their record since 1 Jan 2025: too few departures in the 12 months).| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Short runways Departures where the longest runway was under 1.25× the takeoff distance | 0% | 0–2% |
| Hot, high takeoffs Departures at 5,000 ft density altitude or more | 8% | 1–19% |
| Density altitude Typical density altitude at takeoff | 1,874 ft | 1,354–2,758 ft |
Utilization
How steadily the fleet is used: flights, flying days and estimated hours.
The middle Citation Mustang made 4 flights a month. The busiest 5% made 13 or more, the quietest 2 or fewer.
Middle half 3.0–5.8Harder end: 5% at 12.7 or moreEasier end: 5% at 2.3 or less
Middle half 2.4–4.1Harder end: 5% at 7.7 or moreEasier end: 5% at 2.0 or less
Middle half 45–90 hHarder end: 5% at ≈171 h or moreEasier end: 5% at ≈30 h or less
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Month by month
12 monthsMedian flights per aircraft that flew that month · darker bar is the busiest month, June 2026
The data behind it
Every measure for the 173 North America Citation Mustangs, every active aircraft (no 40% tracking floor here: on this type it would change which aircraft are compared, not just drop undercounted ones), 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026.| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Flights a month In the months it flew | 3.8 | 3.0–5.8 |
| Days flown a month Days with at least one flight | 2.9 | 2.4–4.1 |
| Estimated hours a year From time in the air | ≈63 h | 45–90 h |
Buying, selling or financing a Citation Mustang?
See where your Citation Mustang sits in the fleet.
Enter a tail number to place it against these 173 aircraft. TailCheck grades it on Fatigue, Corrosion, Engines and brakes, and Utilization, with every percentile shown.
Where Citation Mustangs are based and fly
Long Beach is home to more Citation Mustangs than any other field, 5 of the 131 with a home base.
King–Portland-Hillsboro is the busiest route: 111 flights by 5 different aircraft.
Where Citation Mustangs are based
| Field | Share | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| Long Beach | 5 | |
| John Wayne -Orange | 5 | |
| Van Nuys | 5 | |
| Henderson | 4 | |
| Scottsdale | 4 | |
| Portland-Hillsboro | 3 |
Busiest Citation Mustang routes
| Between | Flights |
|---|---|
| King ⇄ Portland-Hillsboro | 111 flights |
| Spokane ⇄ Portland-Hillsboro | 85 |
| Laredo ⇄ San Antonio | 81 |
| Henderson ⇄ John Wayne -Orange | 71 |
| Henderson ⇄ Long Beach | 48 |
| Henderson ⇄ Van Nuys | 44 |
Longest Citation Mustang flights
| Between | Distance · time |
|---|---|
| Henderson → Muskegon | 1,397 nm · 4 h 11 min |
| Long Beach → Saint Louis | 1,387 nm · 4 h 16 min |
| King → Atkinson | 1,353 nm · 3 h 54 min |
| Grande Prairie → Scottsdale | 1,327 nm · 4 h 25 min |
| Peterson Air Force Base → Syracuse Hancock | 1,317 nm · 3 h 29 min |
Busiest Citation Mustangs this year
The busiest Citation Mustang made 29 flights a month, seven times the middle aircraft.
Even the tenth on this list made 13.
Ranked by flights a month · updated monthly
| # | Tail | Base | Flights a month | Estimated hours a year | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N394CM | Portland-Hillsboro | 29 | 416 h | Check this tail → |
| 2 | N171AA | Portland-Hillsboro | 27 | 385 h | Check this tail → |
| 3 | N510JK | Tampa | 20 | 278 h | Check this tail → |
| 4 | N361ML | Henderson | 19 | 168 h | Check this tail → |
| 5 | N91FP | The Eastern Iowa | 17 | 244 h | Check this tail → |
| 6 | N510EE | Daniel | 14 | 171 h | Check this tail → |
| 7 | N510KA | John Wayne -Orange | 14 | 144 h | Check this tail → |
| 8 | N54PV | Long Beach | 13 | 184 h | Check this tail → |
| 9 | N4FF | Syracuse Hancock | 13 | 236 h | Check this tail → |
| 10 | N910GF | — | 13 | 131 h | Check this tail → |
Citation Mustang vs other aircraft of its size
Medians for each North America fleet, same window and method.
It ranks 4th of 5 types in its size group on flights a month.
| Type | Tracked | Flights a month | Hours a year | Median leg | Hours per landing | Short hops |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna Citation Mustang | 173 | 3.8 | 63 h | 290 nm | 1.3 : 1 | 52% |
| Cirrus Vision Jet SF50 | 461 | 4.2 | 71 h | 262 nm | 1.3 : 1 | 56% |
| Embraer Phenom 100 | 135 | 4.5 | 67 h | 297 nm | 1.2 : 1 | 50% |
| Eclipse 550 | 75 | 3.8 | 56 h | 281 nm | 1.2 : 1 | 54% |
| Cessna Citation M2 | 27 | 4.8 | 68 h | 296 nm | 1.3 : 1 | 51% |
Citation Mustang vs Phenom 100 →Citation Mustang vs HondaJet HA-420 →
Do older Citation Mustangs fly differently?
Age makes little difference: by year built, the median Citation Mustang in each band flew between 58 and 66 estimated hours a year.
Show the tableHide the table
| Serial block | Built | Tracked | Hours a year | Median leg | Short hops |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 510-0095–510-0036 | 2007–09 | 73 | 58 h | 267 nm | 54% |
| 510-0383–510-0465 | 2010–17 | 74 | 66 h | 309 nm | 48% |
US-registered aircraft only: the FAA registry gives serial number and year of manufacture for 147 of the 173 we track. Built = year of manufacture. Avionics upgrades are fitted by modification and the registry doesn’t show them, so check an aircraft’s records.
Citation Mustang on paper
Certified figures come from the type certificate data sheet; the rest are the manufacturer’s.
| Measure | Citation Mustang | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum takeoff weight (certified) | 8,645 lb | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.502 Issue 3, p.6 |
| Maximum ramp weight (certified) | 8,730 lb | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.502 Issue 3, p.6 |
| Fuel capacity (certified) | 2,568 lb | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.502 Issue 3, p.5 |
| Range (manufacturer) | ≈ 1,200 nm | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 9 May 2017) |
| Takeoff distance (manufacturer) | 3,110 ft | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 9 May 2017) |
| Passengers | Up to 4 certified | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.502 Issue 3, p.6 |
| Fuel capacity, US gallons (approx.) | ≈ 380 US gal | From the certified pounds at 6.7 lb per US gallon of Jet A; actual density varies with temperature |
| High-speed cruise (manufacturer) | 340 kt | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 9 May 2017) |
| Length (manufacturer) | 40 ft 7 in | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 9 May 2017) |
| Wingspan (manufacturer) | 43 ft 2 in | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 9 May 2017) |
| Height (manufacturer) | 13 ft 5 in | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 9 May 2017) |
Chartering a Citation Mustang
25 of the 173 North America Citation Mustangs we track are on our charter list (14%).
Charter aircraft flew a median 69 estimated hours a year on 6 flights a month; the rest flew 63 hours on 4.
Where charter Citation Mustangs are based
| Field | Share | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| Portland-Hillsboro | 2 | |
| Rocky Mountain Metropolitan | 1 | |
| Boise Air Terminal | 1 | |
| The Eastern Iowa | 1 | |
| Henderson | 1 | |
| Oakland | 1 |
Charter status is our own list, built from FAA records and public listings of charter aircraft. No charter rates: prices depend on the operator and the trip. Check a specific aircraft’s record with its tail number before you book.
Citation Mustang questions
How many hours a year does a Citation Mustang fly?
The median North America Citation Mustang flies about 63 estimated hours a year; the middle half sits between 45 and 90. About 1 in 20 flies more than 171.
How often does a Citation Mustang fly?
4 flights a month on 3 flying days at the median. About 1 in 20 makes more than 13 flights a month.
How long is a typical Citation Mustang flight?
The median leg is 290 nm. About 1 in 20 aircraft average more than 559 nm a leg.
How often do Citation Mustang aircraft use short runways?
At the median, 0% of departures are from fields whose longest runway is under 1.25 times the type’s takeoff distance. About 1 in 20 keep it to 0% or less.
Is a high-hours Citation Mustang a bad buy?
Not by itself. High hours on long legs are gentler on the structure than the same hours on short hops. Look at hours per landing and short-hop share alongside hours.
How many gallons of fuel does a Citation Mustang hold?
About 380 US gallons. The type certificate gives 2,568 lb; we convert at 6.7 lb per gallon of Jet A, so the figure is approximate.
Where are most Citation Mustang aircraft based?
In North America, Long Beach is home to the most, followed by John Wayne -Orange and Van Nuys. A base is the field an aircraft touches on most of its flying days, month after month.
Cite this data
The Aircraft Ledger. “Cessna Citation Mustang fleet statistics.” Data to 31 July 2026. theaircraftledger.com/aircraft/cessna/citation-mustang
Method: Cessna Citation Mustang aircraft with most departures in North America and at least 20 tracked flights in the latest twelve full months. Flight measures, bases, routes and rankings use ADS-B tracking 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026; corrosion and engines-and-brakes exposure use the same twelve months, or an aircraft’s record since 1 Jan 2025 when it had too few nights or departures in them. Estimated hours from time in the air. Tracking misses some flights, so counts and hours are minimums. ADS-B coverage grew over the window, so we don’t compare one year with the last. Tracking can’t tell one variant from another; the variant split, the busiest table’s variants and the age table use the FAA registry, so they cover US-registered aircraft only. We assume the longest runway at each field, so short-runway figures are conservative. Corrosion measures cover the aircraft we can place on enough nights. Charter status is our own list, built from FAA records and public listings of charter aircraft. About our data