Cessna prototype makes successful first flight

WICHITA, Kan. – Cessna Aircraft Co., a subsidiary of Providence-based manufacturer Textron Inc., has celebrated the successful first prototype flight of its Citation Latitude mid-sized business jet.
The first flight tested flaps, landing gear, pressurization systems, anti-ice capabilities, stability and control. The test flight reached an altitude of 28,000 feet and attained speeds of 230 mph. Cessna flight engineers found all systems performing as expected.
“The successful maiden flight of the new Cessna Citation Latitude is a testament to the men and women at Cessna who continue to lead the industry by example,” said Brad Thress, senior vice president of business jets for Cessna. “Cessna has certified 18 different aircraft during the past decade, and our expertise is unrivalled when it comes to delivering new aircraft to the marketplace.”
The Citation Latitude will have the widest fuselage of any Citation jet, designed with a flat cabin floor and 6 feet of cabin height. The two-pilot Latitude accommodates up to nine passengers, can attain a flight level of 43,000 feet in 23 minutes, and has a range of 2,500 nautical miles.
Passengers on the Citation Latitude will be able to fly non-stop between such cities as Los Angeles and New York, Houston and Bogotá, Rome and Dubai, and Singapore and Beijing.
Cessna designed the jet with a new cabin-cooling system, Garmin G5000 avionics and auto-throttle capabilities.
“The Garmin G5000 avionics are an enormous leap forward in flight management,” said Aaron Tobias, Cessna senior flight test pilot. “The Latitude will be tough to beat.”
Cessna first announced the Citation Latitude aircraft at the National Business Aviation Association’s Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in October 2011. Type certification for the Citation Latitude is expected in the second quarter of 2015.
“The Latitude team engineered a game-changing mid-sized jet in a very efficient and accelerated manner, using proven Cessna technologies and mature systems,” said Thress. “The result is an aircraft with incredible operating efficiencies at an unmatched price point in this category of business jet.”

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