On December 9 Cessna Aircraft claimed another record, though this one does not involve any aircraft speed or distance. In support of its expanding customer services, that day Cessna held grand-opening ceremonies for its 443,000-sq-ft Wichita Citation Service Center, below, the largest general aviation maintenance facility in the world. The event drew about 500 people, including Citation customers, city, county, state and federal government officials, suppliers and employees.

Cessna’s new $61 million maintenance center, which sits on a 124-acre site at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport, can house more than 100 Citations in its five hangars, with the three largest spanning more than 60,000 sq ft each. At 1,600 feet from end to end, the building is longer than the 110-story Sears Tower is tall. Inside, the facility has several customer lounges and offices, flight-planning offices, a restaurant and coffee bar and a gift shop.

In related news, on December 21 Cessna held a groundbreaking ceremony for an expansion of its Independence, Kan. production facility, where it builds piston singles and plans to manufacture the Citation Mustang very light jet. The $20.4 million project will include a 90,000-sq-ft flight/delivery building, an 11,000-sq-ft aircraft completions building and an 11,000-sq-ft addition to the current customer delivery center. Cessna said construction will be finished by December, and the Mustang is expected to receive FAA approval next year.