While Cessna Aircraft is closing its Toledo, Ohio Citation service center at the end of next month, the company celebrated the opening of its new Mesa Citation service center at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport last week. The new center replaces the company’s former Long Beach service center in Southern California, which was half the size and had one-tenth the ramp space and no room for expansion. The new Mesa center includes 62,400 sq ft of hangar space along with about 39,000 sq ft of office and backshop space on 12 acres, including a 124,800-sq-ft ramp. Cessna’s leasehold at the airport allows for later expansion. More than 65 percent of the Long Beach employees relocated to Mesa, which employs more than 75 technicians. Randy Soutiere is general manager of Cessna’s Mesa facility, which is located near recently opened service centers operated by Hawker Beechcraft and Embraer. “Our first day’s activities were robust, with seven Citations coming through the door,” said Stan Younger, Cessna vice president of service facilities.