Africair, Inc. was present at this year’s EBACE 2017 held in Geneva, Switzerland, alongside Textron Aviation and Bell Helicopter. While we had customer visits, conducted a Bell 429 demo flight, and met with key vendors, we spent most of our time at the Textron Aviation static display that featured the Cessna Grand Caravan EX and the Cessna Citations CJ3+, CJ4, Latitude, Longitude, M2 and XLS+.
The highlight in the static displays was the Citation Longitude – for good reason. The Longitude is a revolution in business aviation. No super-midsize business jet gives you more range, greater payload or higher cruise speed at a lower total ownership cost. Providing the lowest cabin altitude and quietest interior in its class, more standard features, and a comfortable cabin with a superior fit and finish, the Citation Longitude will revolutionize your business travel. The Citation Longitude is powered by two Honeywell HTF7700L turbofan engines which will allow the Longitude to offer industry-leading fuel efficiency. The interior features of the Longitude are crafted for maximum comfort on long-range trips with the largest seats in a Citation. It also features complete touch-screen control of navigation and communication systems with the newest evolution of the Garmin G5000 flight deck.
Fast Facts
- 4 Passenger Range: 3,500 nm
- Maximum Cruise Speed: 476 ktas
- Maximum Pasengers: 12
- Full Fuel Payload: 1,600 lbs.
- Takeoff Field Length: 4,900 ft.
First Production Cessna Citation Longitude rolled out by Textron Aviation
Textron Aviation rolled out the first production unit of the Cessna Citation Longitude, the company’s latest clean-sheet design, super-midsize business jet. State-of-the-art assembly and fabrication tools and techniques bring exceptional quality and superior fit and finish to this revolutionary aircraft.
The Longitude production program takes advantage of new technologies such as monolithic machining where major assemblies are milled from a single piece of metal rather than assembled from smaller pieces, reducing the number of parts and resulting in more precise tolerances for easier assembly. Textron Aviation also has employed and expanded vertical tooling on the assembly line of the Longitude. First utilized on the Citation Latitude midsize jet, the vertical tooling stations provide enhanced ergonomics for employees and make more efficient use of factory space.
The first Longitude flew in October 2016 and to date, the flight test program’s four aircraft have accumulated more than 550 hours. A fifth aircraft will join the flight test program this summer, showcasing the company’s dedication and commitment to getting the aircraft in the hands of its customers. The Longitude is expected to enter the market by the end of the year.
For more information on the Citation Longitude, visit our website at: www.africair.com/portfolio/cessna-citation-longitude or contact us today at info@africair.com
