WICHITA, Kan., Oct. 1, 2014 –Cessna Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation, a Textron Inc (NYSE: TXT) company, today announced the Citation Latitude flight test program has yielded improvements in expected aircraft range and runway performance, promising even greater value for operators than originally envisioned. Certification of the Citation Latitude is expected in the second quarter of 2015.
The aircraft specification is being changed to reflect an increase in range to 2,700 nm at long-range cruise, an increase of 200 nm. Additionally, runway performance is significantly improved with takeoff distance now an impressive 3,668 feet, rather than 4,030 feet in prior projections.
“The Citation Latitude certification program is about two-thirds complete and has hit the mark every step of the way,” said Scott Ernest, Textron Aviation president and CEO. “The entire team is focused on ensuring we exceed customer expectations with the new Citation Latitude, whether in terms of design, production quality, or in making improvements like we’ve seen in the performance numbers."
Fourth aircraft enters certification program
Today, Cessna also introduced a fourth aircraft into the Latitude certification program. During the 2.5 hour first flight for Serial 003, the crew successfully completed the standard production flight test profile. The Latitude certification flight test program has amassed more than 600 flight hours in more than 260 flights. The Latitude prototype first flew on schedule in February, followed by two additional aircraft in May and July. Cessna gained Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) for the Latitude in May. Final type certification by the FAA is expected during the second quarter of next year.
The first fully-configured Citation Latitude will make its public debut at the 2014 National Business Aviation Association’s annual meeting in Orlando, Fla., from Oct. 21-23, only three years after program launch.
“Thanks to the continued investment in the Citation jet product line, we’ve had a busy flight test and new aircraft production schedule,” Ernest said. “The success of the Citation Latitude program is another indication of our commitment to the owners who use our aircraft every day, around the world.”
About the Citation Latitude
The Citation Latitude features an all-new fuselage, creating the most open, spacious, light and refined cabin environment in the midsize category. The Latitude has the widest fuselage of any Citation jet, a flat cabin floor and 6 feet (1.83 meters) of cabin height. Cessna’s Clairity™ cabin-technology system ties into the Latitude’s advanced avionics center to provide connectivity and entertainment to each passenger through their personal electronic devices.
The Citation Latitude accommodates up to nine passengers, can reach a flight level of 43,000 feet (13,106 meters) in just 24 minutes and has a range of up to 2,700 nautical miles (5,000 kilometers). It is designed with a powerful new cabin cooling system, a pressurization system providing a 6,000-foot (1,829-meter) cabin altitude at the aircraft’s maximum operating altitude of 45,000 feet (13,716 meters), an electronically-operated cabin door and Garmin G5000 avionics, two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306D engines, and auto-throttle capabilities.
More than 6,600 Citations have been delivered to customers around the world since the first Cessna Citation business jet was put into service in 1972. Citations are the largest fleet of business jets in the world and have surpassed 30 million flight hours.
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Media Contacts:
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About Textron Aviation Inc.
Textron Aviation Inc. is the leading general aviation authority and home to the iconic Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands, which account for more than half of all general aviation aircraft flying. The Textron Aviation companies include Cessna Aircraft Company and Beechcraft Corporation, bringing together decades of unmatched experience in designing, building and supporting airplanes. It provides the most versatile and comprehensive general aviation product portfolio in the world through five principal lines of business: business jets, general aviation and special mission turboprop aircraft, high performance piston aircraft, military trainer and defense aircraft, and a complete global customer service organization. Its broad range of products include such best-selling aircraft as Citation and Hawker business jets, King Air and Caravan turboprops and T-6 military trainer aircraft, all of which are backed by the industry’s largest global service network. For more information, visit www.textronaviation.com.
About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. For more information visit: http://www.textron.com.
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements which may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the efficacy of research and development investments to develop new products or unanticipated expenses in connection with the launching of significant new products or programs; the timing of our new product launches or certifications of our new aircraft products; our ability to keep pace with our competitors in the introduction of new products and upgrades with features and technologies desired by our customers; changes in government regulations or policies on the export and import of our products; volatility in the global economy or changes in worldwide political conditions that adversely impact demand for our products; performance issues with key suppliers or subcontractors; and continued demand softness or volatility in the markets in which we do business.