Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc.TXT-4.06% company, today introduced its newest and longest-range business jet, the Citation Longitude at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE). This launch follows on the heels of Cessna's announcement, just over six months ago, of the new Citation M2 and Citation Latitude. Boasting a 4,000-nautical-mile range and a maximum speed of Mach .86, the Citation Longitude will make a non-stop flight from New York to Paris, London to Dubai or Beijing to Moscow. At a price of $25.999 million, Cessna believes that the Citation Longitude is the best value 4,000-nautical-mile super mid-size business jet available. Scott Ernest, Cessna president and CEO said: "The Citation Longitude sets itself apart with the largest Citation cabin, intercontinental range and a price point unmatched by other business jets with similar performance. This super mid-size jet sets a new standard for cabin efficiency, connectivity and stylish comfort." The Citation Longitude will be powered by two Silvercrest engines, with 11,000 pounds of thrust, made by Snecma (Safran group). These engines lead the industry in fuel efficiency, weight and maintainability. The engines will be on an on-condition maintenance plan, which is expected to reduce the operating costs of the aircraft because maintenance intervals will be extended significantly. "We are thrilled to bring the Silvercrest engine to Cessna customers because of its best-in-class efficiency, reliability and quality," Ernest said. "This engine is expected to take the Citation Longitude to a new level and give our customers the range, efficiency and noise-reduction they need to be successful in today's competitive environment." The Citation Longitude's state-of-the-art cockpit features Garmin G5000 avionics with touch-screen controls and all of the capabilities required to comply with emerging operating requirements for intercontinental aircraft, including FANS/CPDLC, ADSB and RNP. With space for a crew of two plus up to eight passengers and one optional additional crew member seat, the Citation Longitude features a stand-up 6-foot (1.8 meter) high, 31-foot (9.4 meters) flat floor passenger cabin. Cessna's intelligent cabin technology developed specifically for the Citation line, Clairity(TM), will be standard on the Longitude to provide each passenger the 'ultimate connectivity experience.' Cabin seat configuration options include a dual-club eight-seat arrangement and a four-place forward club with a three-place couch and entertainment credenza. Cabin-length indirect LED lighting is provided overhead in the passenger service units with variable adjustment for direct reading lights and more. For long-distance travel comfort, the cabin is equipped with a dual-zone temperature control, a fully operational galley with an oven and cold storage along with a pressurized water system. The aircraft features a large lavatory equipped with a vacuum-assist toilet. The cabin also features in-flight access to a spacious baggage storage area. As the longest-range business jet in Cessna's product line, the Citation Longitude is designed to offer an estimated full fuel payload of 1,950 pounds (884.5 kilograms), a maximum cruise speed of 490 knots true airspeed (907.4 kilometers per hour) and a maximum range of 4,000 nautical miles (7408 kilometers). The aircraft will have a maximum overall width of 86 feet (26.2 meters) and maximum overall length of 87 feet (26.5 meters) with a gently swept wing and advanced winglets for greater range, with improved hot/high performance, climb and fuel burn. Entry into service is expected in 2017. Cessna is the world's leading general aviation company. Since its inception in 1927, Cessna has designed, produced and delivered more than 193,500 airplanes around the globe. This includes more than 6,300 Citation business jets, making it the largest fleet of business jets in the world. Today, Cessna has two principal lines of business: aircraft sales and aftermarket services. Aircraft sales include Citation business jets, Caravan single-engine utility turboprops, single-engine piston aircraft and lift solutions by CitationAir. Aftermarket services include parts, maintenance, inspection and repair services. In 2011, Cessna delivered 689 aircraft, including 183 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of $2.990 billion. 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 Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. 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 changes in worldwide economic or political conditions that impact demand for our products, interest rates or foreign exchange rates; changes in government regulations or policies on the export and import of commercial products; the efficacy of research and development investments to develop new products or unanticipated expenses in connection with the launching of significant new products; 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; performance issues with key suppliers, subcontractors or business partners; difficult conditions in the financial markets which may adversely impact our customers' ability to fund or finance purchases of our products; and continued volatility in the economy resulting in a prolonged downturn in the markets in which we do business.
Back to other news
