Daily Management Review

Cessna’s Citation Latitude aircraft receives FAA Certification


06/13/2015


Textron Aviation’s subsidiary, Cessna Aircraft Company has received the FAA certification for its new Citation Latitude business jet. The jet combines performance with comfort. Cessna wishes to debut the aircraft by this year, and advanced orders have already poured in.



Cessna’s new Citation Latitude jet plane has received the FAA or U.S Federal Aviation Administration’s type certification.

Cessna Aircraft Company, is a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company. Cessna has stated that deliveries, for the jet, are scheduled to begin, by the third quarter of this year.
The new Citation Latitude jet is a business class jet designed to achieve balance between efficiency and comfort. The Citation Latitude is one of a kind, the first to combine a roomy, flat floor, stand-up cabin, with best-in-class operating costs and mid-size price.

Scott Ernest, president and CEO of Textron Aviation, has said from the inception of the idea to the final build, the company took care to provide the best for the Citation Latitude.

According to Ernest, “From inception, we looked at every aspect of how we design, build and deliver new products to the market with the goal to further improve upon the key attributes that make the Citation so highly esteemed”.

During the FAA certification program, the Latitude jet performed extremely well. Ernest said, “Throughout the certification program, the Latitude demonstrated breakthrough results, which are evident in the aircraft’s performance and value proposition. And now, customers can experience firsthand how the Latitude can reduce operating costs, while increasing productivity and profitability for their businesses.”

The FAA certification has followed the aircraft’s first successful Atlantic crossing. The aircraft made its European debut in May, at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition. Customer reaction to the Cessna Latitude was positive when the aircraft’s transcontinental and European performance capabilities were showcased during a month-long regional demonstration tour. During a demo flight, the Citation Latitude flew from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Valencia, Spain in less than 5 hours. This flight demonstrated the Citation’s exceptional fuel efficiency that would permit the aircraft to make additional European trips beyond the usual.

The Citation Latitude is set to continue on its debut schedule throughout the remainder of the year.
 
Performance
The Citation Latitude is meant to debut with considerable performance advantages over its counterparts. Enhanced performance specs include increased range of 2,850 nm at long range cruising and 2,700 nm at high speed cruising. The Latitude has an improved runway performance of 3,580 feet. All this and more have been mentioned in the final certification results.
The market reception towards the Citation Latitude has been remarkable. NetJets, turned out to be the first customer, and has ordered up to 150 Citation Latitude business jets, with initial deliveries beginning in 2016.
 
Innovation in Development
The Citation Latitude aircraft has been put together by Cessna by including the most advanced technologies. From inception to final product, highest quality standards and safety precautions for customers have been ensured by Textron. Assembly of aircraft was done by using ergonomically friendly tooling stations, monolithic machined structures and automated robotics, ensuring great precision. Maintenance intervals on the aircraft would be long, and aircraft down times would be reduced. The Latitude promises 20% less operating costs while giving increased performance.

The flight test program for the Latitude included increased testing hours and long haul flights, which confirmed the efficiency of the Garmin G500 avionics system on the aircraft. The flight is also fitted with a new auto-throttle feature, which can decrease a pilot’s workload in stressful conditions.