Background

F-GRET was operated by Wijet, a French charter company specialising in the European “Air Taxi” market. In 2017, Wijet acquired Blink, a UK-based Citation Mustang operator whose maintenance was performed at Oxford.

Following the acquisition, F-GRET was added to the Blink AOC but was placed into maintenance almost immediately, as one of its engines was approaching the mandatory 3,500-hour overhaul. This engine was removed and sent to Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) in Montreal for overhaul. However, due to financial issues, the engine was never returned; instead, after Wijet entered administration in July 2018, PWC sold the engine to a third party, this made it financially unviable to return the aircraft to service.

The aircraft remained under maintenance control until the 1st of May 2019, when the company relocated to Bournemouth. At that point, RPM Aviation assumed responsibility for F-GRET, and the aircraft continued to be hangared at Oxford.

All aircraft records and logbooks were successfully recovered, and a complete history is available through the CAMO.

Parts from F-GRET have been used on more than 100 other Mustangs, components have been fitted to aircraft in Europe, USA, Brazil & Australia helping to keep the worldwide fleet in service.

Flight Career

• Operated charter missions across Western Europe.

• Regularly spotted at:

  • Paris Le Bourget (LFPB)

  • London Luton (EGGW)

  • Amsterdam Schiphol (EHAM)

  • Milan Malpensa (LIMC)

  • Toulouse Blagnac (LFBO)

  • Maastricht Aachen (EHBK)

• Logged 3484 hours and 3047 cycles transporting executives, VIPs, and private travellers.

Spotter Records

• Frequently photographed by aviation enthusiasts between 2008–2017, especially in Wijet’s red-and-white livery.

• Iconic for its compact VLJ design and distinctive French registration.

Av Geek Timeline

• 2008: Built by Cessna, delivered as serial number 510-0141.

• 2008: Airworthiness certificate issued 22/11/2008
  

• 2008: Registered as N141BG to Honda Aviation LLC
• 2009: Registered as LZ-AMA to a private owner
• 2010–2017: Registered as F-GRET operated by WiJet, active across Europe.
• 2017: Last flight registered from BBS (Blackbushe Airport) to OXF (Oxford Airport) 21/01/2017
  
• 2025: Fuselage preserved and returned to Blackbushe Airport as a pop up coffee shop operated by Jet Bean Coffee 11th - 13th September

Historical Significance

The Citation Mustang was Cessna’s first entry into the Very Light Jet (VLJ) category, designed for short hops with low operating costs. F-GRET represents:

• Early adoption of VLJs in Europe, particularly with Wijet, which aimed to democratise private jet travel with Mustang charters.

• A rare example of a retired Mustang fuselage preserved intact, rather than chopped for scrap.

• A visible part of European bizjet operations during the 2010s, especially at secondary airports where VLJs made point-to-point travel viable.

Current Status

Today, F-GRET no longer flies. The fuselage has been saved and adapted for public display and hospitality use. It retains its tail section and cockpit profile, making it instantly recognisable as an ex-Citation Mustang.

Closing Note

F-GRET’s journey reflects the arc of many business jets: from factory-fresh delivery, to years of hard service connecting European business hubs, to eventual retirement. Unlike most, however, this airframe avoided the scrapyard - giving av geeks the rare chance to see and step up to a Citation Mustang, whilst enjoying a first class cup of Jet Bean Coffee!