Cessna ‘Citation Longitude mid-size business jet’ Recently, Cessna unveiled a design for their brand new Citation dubbed the ‘Longitude’. The new business jet is in the mid-sized range and was unveiled by Cessna at the European Business Aviation Show. The Longitude draws from another luxury jet by Cessna, the Citation ‘Latitude’ that was launched last fall. However, the all-new Longitude will be is a larger aircraft with many improvements such as lightly swept wings and added small winglets. Additionally, the range of this new aircraft is expected to be 4,000 nautical miles and have an operating ceiling of 45,000-feet. Twin engines by French manufacturer Snecma will power the Longitude to an anticipated top-end speed of Mach 0.86. To many the fact that Cessna is using this manufacturer for its engines on the Longitude may have come as a surprise because the Silvercrest turbofans that are to be used haven’t been certified as yet (at this point). It is expected that the maximum take off load will be around 55,000 pounds. Inside the cockpit, avionics are by Garmin featuring the G-5000 integrated touch screen system. Aft of the cockpit will be 31-feet of cabin that will host up to eight persons in a high-end and luxurious atmosphere. The cabin interior will have a variety of seating configurations and arrangements to satisfy different client needs. Whatever the configuration, the seats will be able to be adjusted and swivel to allow for maximum comfort when aboard. The exceptional 4,000 nautical mile range of the new Cessna Citation Longitude puts it in a very good position to compete with other business jet manufacturers. The Longitude will be competing with jets such as the Bombardier ‘Challenger 605’ as well as the Embraer ‘Legacy 650’. However, the 26 million dollar price tag brings it in under that of it’s competitors making it a very viable option for owners. Added to that, non-stop flying to major hubs and destinations such as New York to Paris, Beijing to Moscow or London to Dubai make the Longitude an attractive business jet. Cessna will build the new jet in Wichita and is expecting to take off in 2016 on the first flight with the Longitude and earn FAA certification in 2017. For more information: Cessna Aircraft Company 1 Cessna Blvd. Wichita, KS 67215 www.cessna.com ***
