Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today it is on track to receive Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certification on the Citation CJ4 by the end of the year.

"We're pleased with the progress we're making on the CJ4," said CJ4 Program Manager Norm Baker. "Structural certification is well underway including the completion of five lifetimes on the fatigue test article. Development testing has been progressing on schedule, and we expect to begin certification testing later this month."

"Production line flow has started with production units 003, 004, 005 and 006 in various stages of assembly," Baker said.

There are currently three aircraft that have accumulated more than 760 flight hours in the test and certification program.

Configurable for seven to eight passengers in the main cabin, the CJ4 is expected to have a maximum speed of 806 kilometers per hour (435 knots), a full fuel payload of 453 kilograms (1,000 pounds) and maximum payload of 952 kilograms (2,100 pounds). It will be certified for operations up to 13,700 meters (45,000 feet).

The aircraft will debut the new Williams International FJ44-4A electronically controlled (FADEC) engines and will feature the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite and Venue, the next generation cabin management system. All current production Citations employ new generation turbofan engines, which meet or exceed the most stringent noise requirements and allow Cessna's line of business jets to be among the most fuel efficient jets in the industry.

Following FAA certification Cessna plans to begin customer deliveries in the first half of 2010. Concurrently, Cessna is working toward European Aviation Safety Agency certification.