Cessna Citation Longitude Now Set For Deliveries Following FAA Type Certification Approval

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Textron Aviation’s Cessna Citation Longitude is now set for deliveries after recently achieving type certification from the FAA. (Photo courtesy of Textron Aviation.)

The Cessna Citation Longitude revolution has begun. That according to Ron Draper, president and CEO of Textron Aviation, which announced in late September that the Cessna brand’s clean-sheet, super-midsize Longitude business jet has earned its type certification from the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration). Textron Aviation owns the Cessna brand, along with the Beechcraft and Hawker aviation brands.

A New Era

With the 12-passenger Longitude, Draper says a “new era of best-in-class solutions for our customers” has arrived. The jet’s FAA type certification follows what Textron says was the most robust flight, structural, and component testing it has ever conducted for a Citation model. Overall, testing included roughly 6,000 hours of flight time, 11,000 test points, and a 31,000-nautical-mile (57,400-kilometer) world tour to demonstrate the Longitude’s performance abilities.

The Longitude has a four-passenger range of 3,500 nautical miles (6,482 kilometers), a maximum cruise speed of 483-ktas (895-km/h), a 1,600-pound (726-kilogram) full fuel payload, and a 1,115-pound (506-kilogram) baggage capacity. The cockpit features a Garmin G5000 flight deck, while the flat-floor, stand-up, 6-foot (1.83-meter) cabin provides fully berthable seats that Textron designed and manufactured in-house. Textron says the jet’s double-club configuration provides 11% additional legroom over its nearest competitor, or “the most legroom in the super-midsize class.” In addition, Textron says, the cabin’s sound levels are roughly twice as quiet as the Longitude’s nearest competitor.

“The Best-Flying Citation Yet”

Textron designed the Longitude to equally emphasize passenger comfort, overall performance, and pilot experience. Ed Wenninger, chief pilot for Textron engineering flight test, says, “The Longitude is the best-flying Citation yet. The FADEC-equipped Honeywell HTF7700L turbofan engines feature fully integrated auto-throttles with envelope protection and provide responsiveness and excellent power.”

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Source: Textron Aviation

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