Textron’s Cessna delivers first units for two new business jets

THE CITATION SOVEREIGN+ is one of two new business jet lines launched by Textron Inc.'s Cessna Aircraft Co. The Sovereign+ is an upgraded version of its predecessor the Citation Sovereign, and offers increased range due to the addition of aerodynamic winglets and Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306D engines providing 5,852 lbs. of thrust, the company said. / COURTESY CESSNA AIRCRAFT CO.
THE CITATION SOVEREIGN+ is one of two new business jet lines launched by Textron Inc.'s Cessna Aircraft Co. The Sovereign+ is an upgraded version of its predecessor the Citation Sovereign, and offers increased range due to the addition of aerodynamic winglets and Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306D engines providing 5,852 lbs. of thrust, the company said. / COURTESY CESSNA AIRCRAFT CO.

WITCHITA, Kan. – Cessna Aircraft Co., a subsidiary of Providence-based Textron Inc., has received Federal Aviation Administration certification and begun deliveries for its Citation M2 light jet and Citation Sovereign+ mid-sized business jet, the company announced Monday.

The Citation M2 was announced in September 2011, and the first flight of the Citation M2 prototype occurred in March 2012. In August, the Citation M2 completed flights of its first production units. The development and certification process involved more than 150,000 engineering hours and nearly 1,000 flight test hours over 360,000 nautical miles.

The Citation M2 has a maximum cruise speed of 460 miles per hour and a range of 1,300 nautical miles. The aircraft can operate at airports with runways as short as 3,250 ft. and will climb to 41,000 feet in 24 minutes, Cessna Aircraft Co. said.

“Cessna is once more redefining the light jet segment with the Citation M2,” said Brad Thress, senior vice president of business jets for Cessna Aircraft Co. “The Citation M2 is a versatile aircraft that fits many markets and missions, attracting owner-operators looking for an advanced, innovative aircraft of this size, capability and value. Our launch customer, Stuart Woods, represents this type of customer: owners moving up from their Citation Mustang.”

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The Citation M2 is certified for single-pilot operation, features two Williams FJ44 engines and seats up to six passengers, Thress said. The M2’s cockpit design features Cessna’s proprietary Intrinzic flight deck powered by Garmin G3000 avionics with high-resolution multifunction displays and split-screen capability. Eight windows, adjustable seats and intuitive controls highlight the all-new cabin.

The new Citation Sovereign+, an upgraded version of its predecessor the Citation Sovereign, offers increased range due to the addition of aerodynamic winglets and Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306D engines providing 5,852 pounds of thrust. The Sovereign+ has a range of 3,000 nautical miles and a top speed of 527 miles per hour, as well as a direct climb to 45,000 feet.

“The Citation Sovereign+ makes a great airplane even better,” said Thress. “Our customers are looking forward to seeing the aircraft with winglets, giving it a distinct appearance as well as an aerodynamic boost that means 150 additional nautical miles of range.”

Like the M2, the Sovereign+ cockpit features a Garmin-powered Cessna Intrinzic Flight Deck with Garmin G5000 avionics. An integrated, workload-reducing auto throttle system streamlines the pilots’ tasks, and new cabin amenities include the Cessna Clairity cabin-management system with touch-screen controls and larger seats.

In service since 2004, the Citation Sovereign has reached a fleet of 349 aircraft worldwide and amassed more than 802,000 flight hours. Cessna announced plans for the new Sovereign+ in October 2012. The first production aircraft rolled off the assembly line in Wichita, Kan., in early March and the first test flights of the units were completed in April.

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