The short answer

25 hours as PIC in the Mustang under the direct observation of a pilot holding the Mustang type rating without limitations (14 CFR 61.64(g)), each flight attested in writing → administrative removal, no checkride. Your insurance mentor time usually doubles as the SOE — if the mentor holds the right rating and the logbook wording is right.

The CE-510S SOE, in plain English

The CE-510S is the single-pilot type rating for the Cessna Citation Mustang — the jet that defined the owner-flown entry-level category. Mustang type courses run in a full-flight simulator, and under 14 CFR 61.64(f)(2) the rating prints with the SOE limitation unless you arrived with one of the §61.64(b) experience outs, which owners stepping up from an SR22, Meridian, or 340 essentially never have. Until removal, you act as PIC only under the direct observation of a pilot who holds the Mustang type rating without limitations.

The Mustang stopped production in 2017, but the fleet is alive and busy on the used market — which means a steady stream of new-to-them Mustang owners earning fresh CE-510S ratings in the sim, each with the same limitation to fly off.

The Mustang mentor math

Like every owner-flown jet, your insurer almost certainly requires mentor time anyway, and those flights can double as your SOE. The Mustang-specific catch: the fleet is small and the mentor pool is thinner than in the CJ world. A lot of the freelance mentors working light jets are CJ pilots — and a CE-525S rating does not cover the Mustang. Your supervising pilot must hold the Mustang type rating (CE-510/510S) without limitations (§61.64(g)(1)). Confirm that before hour one; 25 hours flown behind the wrong mentor satisfy your insurance policy and nothing else.

The rest is standard §61.64(g): you perform the duties of PIC on every flight while the mentor observes (§61.64(g)(3)), and every flight gets logged with the mentor's written attestation (§61.64(g)(2)). The common Mustang logbook miss is the same one we see in Phenom books — mentor-CFIs logging "dual given" instead of attesting supervised PIC time. Use the sample attestation wording (PDF) from the first flight and the paperwork stays clean.

Why owners knock this out promptly

The whole point of the Mustang is going places alone on your own schedule. Until the SOE comes off, every flight needs a qualified observer in the right seat — which means scheduling around a mentor's calendar and usually paying their day rate. At typical owner utilization, the 25 hours are done in a season; the removal itself is 20 minutes of video call. We verify your logbook against the reg before the appointment, free, so removal day is a formality.

What removal requires

How the appointment runs

  1. Identity verification (valid, unexpired photo ID)
  2. Certificate + logbook review — 25 SOE hours and attestations verified against §61.64(g)
  3. IACRA application signed live
  4. Temporary certificate without the limitation issued on the call

About 20 minutes, from anywhere with a stable connection — FBO, hangar office, layover hotel. 24-hour advance notice required for FAA DMS oversight entry.

Pricing — $200 flat

No travel fees, no rescheduling fees, no charge if you're determined not eligible during the appointment. Details → Pricing

Related

Type Rating SOE Removal (all types)

The hub page — how §61.64(g) SOE removal works for any type rating.

CE-525S (Citation CJ) SOE Removal

Stepping up to a CJ later? Different rating, same process.

EMB-500 (Phenom 100) SOE Removal

The other entry-level-jet SOE — same mentor dynamics.

25 hours in the Mustang? You're one video call from unrestricted.

Submit the contact form and you'll get a document checklist within 24 hours. $200 flat.

Schedule your CE-510S SOE removal →

Frequently asked

Can a CJ (CE-525S) pilot supervise my Mustang SOE?
Not unless they also hold the Mustang type rating without limitations. The CE-525S covers the CJ series only — the Mustang is a separate type rating (CE-510/510S), and §61.64(g)(1) requires the observing PIC to hold the rating for the aircraft your limitation applies to. Confirm your mentor's ratings before the first flight.
Does my insurance mentor time count toward the SOE?
Usually yes — same flights, two requirements. The conditions: the mentor holds the Mustang rating without limitations, you perform the duties of PIC on each flight, and each flight is logged with the mentor's written attestation.
Does the mentor need to be a CFI or hold specific instructor credentials?
No. §61.64(g) cares about one credential: the Mustang type rating without limitations. The mentor being a CFI is fine but irrelevant — and mentor-CFIs logging your SOE flights as dual instruction instead of attesting supervised PIC time is the most common logbook error we see.
Do the 25 hours have to be in my own Mustang?
No — any Citation Mustang counts. The requirement is 25 hours in the type while performing PIC duties under qualified observation, not hours in a specific serial number.
Can the CE-510S SOE removal be done online?
Yes. SOE removals are administrative actions eligible for virtual processing under current FAA guidance. Daytona DPE handles them worldwide over a secure video call, with the unrestricted temporary certificate issued on the call. 24-hour advance notice required for FAA DMS oversight.
What does it cost and how long does it take?
$200 flat — no travel fees, no charge if you're found not eligible during the appointment. About 20 minutes on the call; typical turnaround from inquiry to unrestricted temporary certificate is 3-5 business days.