General Aviation Cessna Citation Longitude receives provisional certification

The certificate was issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This provisional type certification (PTC) allows operators to begin with flight training on the latest Textron aircraft. It is being planned that deliveries will start early this year.

This provisional certificate is another milestone on the way to full aircraft certification. The Cessna Citation Longitude performed its maiden flight in October 2016. It is a business jet with a range of up to 3,500 nm (6,500km). Honeywell HTF7000 engines power the aircraft that costs US$27 million at list prices.

“From an unmatched cabin experience to its commanding performance, the Citation Longitude truly sets a new standard for the business aviation industry,” said Ron Draper, president and CEO, Textron Aviation. “Our focus remains on equipping our customers with this revolutionary aircraft, and achieving this milestone is a pivotal step as we complete the final phase of the program.”

Now, the flight test program is complete. During all testing mission, the test bed aircraft flew more than 1,650 flights in more than 4,050 hours. The tests included functional and reliability testing. Textron Aviation released, that the production of the aircraft is already underway in the company´s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.

Textron Aviation´s Cessna Citation Longitude can carry a fuel payload of 1,600 pounds. 12 passengers can be accommodated in the newly designed cabin, which is six foot tall. There is an optional crew jump seat as well.

On the flight deck, modern avionics have been installed, with the Garmin G5000 flight deck being the highlight. A Head-Up-Display (HUD) will enhance vision capability. All innovations are there to maximise the pilot´s situational awareness and to reduce workload.