The first pre-production Cessna Citation CJ2 completed its initial test flight on October 15. It will be joined by a second aircraft in November. Both will join the certification flight test programme prior to the year's end and Cessna expects to complete certification by May 2000. \r"The use of integrated teams from all functional areas of the company to design, build and test the CJ2 prototype and pre-production aircraft has been a great success," said Gary Hay, Cessna vice chairman. "It has clearly set a new standard for rapidly designing, building and certifying new aircraft, and what we have learned from the CJ2 development programme will be applied to all future new product development at Cessna."\rAccording to Cessna, the CJ2's production was hastened by the extensive use of test-bed aircraft. In November 1998, it began flying a Williams-Rolls FJ44-2C engine on a modified Citation S/II, and the new Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics have been flown for more than 300 hours on a CitationJet test-bed over the last two years. A production-conformed prototype of the aircraft is currently averaging eight flight hours per day and has accumulated more than 350 hours since April. \r"The Citation CJ2 was introduced at the 1998 NBAA convention in response to market input asking for higher cruise speeds, more cabin room and greater range than the CitationJet, coupled with the latest avionics," said a spokesman for Cessna. "The CJ2 delivers all the market-driven qualities while retaining simple systems, excellent economics, balanced performance and impressive styling."\rCessna has also reported that the Citation CJ1 is on schedule for first customer delivery in early 2000. The CJ1's backlog extends into the second quarter of 2001. "Prior to the end of 1999, we will deliver the 350th CitationJet, making it the most popular business jet of its size in recent history," claimed Whyte. "We are confident that the enhanced features of the CJ1 will add additional value to this segment of the market and continue to build upon the success of the programme." Meanwhile, development of the Encore is said to be progressing rapidly towards certification in the second quarter of 2000, with first customer delivery later that year. \r"In the course of the Encore programme, our team has optimised the aerodynamic design and integrated several new improvements to increase performance and passenger comfort," said Roger Whyte, senior vp of sales and marketing.