FAA Exemption To Allow Citation Longitude Certification Soon Behind the scenes Textron Aviatoin's brand Cessna has been working hard on getting the Citation Longitude ready for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification. "We continue to partner with the FAA as we work toward certification of the Citation Longitude in the third quarter," said Textron Aviation engineering senior vice president Brad Thress. The FAA appears to have given Cessna an exemption -for now- as it relates to certain issues of the flammability of the fuel tanks. Thus allowing them still have the aircraft certified by the next quarter. However, a concrete plan for the issue must be submitted by October 1st. Even so, the current exemption runs to the end of the first month in 2020.
The confusion stems from different interpretations that the FAA and Cessna has over what constitutes a Center Fuel Tank. The Longitude has been designed with the fuel tank in a conventional unheated aluminum wing. However, this system incorporates part of or a center portion that is covered by aerodynamic fairings. Textron Aviation considers that with this setup the entire fuel tank is within a conventional unheated aluminum wing. As a result of this it therefore satisfies related flammability requirements. The FAA on the otherhand doesn't agree and determines that the portion covered by the aerodynamic fairings is not a conventional unheated aluminum wing tank. That determination means that the aircraft does not meet the necessary requirements of FAR 25.981(b), amendment 25-125 in the regulatory bodies' estimation. For more information: Cessna Aircraft Company 1 Cessna Blvd. Wichita, KS 67215 www.cessna.com ***
