Second New Airplane Announcement Within Two Weeks
For the second time in 14 days, Cessna Aircraft Company has
introduced a new airplane. Plans for the new Citation Latitude
mid-size business jet were unveiled Monday morning at the
start of the 64th NBAA Annual Meeting and Convention. Just two
weeks ago on September 26th, the company launched the Citation
M2 light business jet.
With space for a crew of two plus up to eight passengers, the
Citation Latitude features Garmin G5000 avionics and a clean-sheet,
84-inch fuselage for a 6-foot high, flat floor passenger cabin.
"The Citation Latitude is a game-changer for the mid-size segment,
offering the payload, speed and range the market requires with an
unmatched cabin experience at this price point," said Brad Thress,
senior vice president, Cessna Business Jets.
Positioned between the Citation XLS+ and Citation Sovereign in
Cessna's product line, the Citation Latitude offers a full fuel
payload of 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms), a maximum cruise speed of
442 knots true airspeed (819 kilometers per hour) and a range of
2,000 nautical miles (3,704 kilometers). The aircraft is priced at
$14.9 million in 2011 USD.
Preliminary specifications project the aircraft will operate at
airports with runways as short as 3,900 feet, will have a maximum
altitude of 45,000 feet, and will climb direct to 43,000 feet in 23
minutes. First flight of the Citation Latitude prototype is
expected to be mid-year 2014, with FAA certification (Part 25) and
entry into service expected in 2015.
"Our team used extensive market research to configure the
Citation Latitude and the results are seen from nose to tail and
from wingtip to wingtip on the Latitude's swept wing," Thress said.
"Nowhere is the Latitude's uniqueness more visible than inside the
cabin."
From just behind the cockpit through the rear lavatory, a flat
floor provides stand-up access throughout the 16-plus foot cabin.
The main passenger cabin -- Cessna's widest in history -- is 77
inches wide (1.95 meters) with a height of 72 inches (1.83 meters).
The standard seating arrangement accommodates passengers in a
single-club with a forward, dual side-facing couch. Six pedestal
seats track forward and aft 7 inches (.18 m) and laterally 4 inches
(.10 m) on the seat base with 180 degree swiveling capability and
infinite recline positions. Cabin-length indirect LED lighting is
provided overhead in the passenger service units with variable
adjustment for direct reading lights and more.
"The requirements for business travel have evolved to more than
comfort and convenience; the use of innovative technology is key to
providing a more efficient and productive aircraft cabin, which is
critical to meeting expectations of a fully functioning work
environment," said Cindy Halsey, Cessna vice president, Interior
Design, Engineering and Development. "Through our new Clairity
cabin technology system, we have an intuitive user interface to
offer customers a 'smart' airplane for the ultimate connectivity
experience."
Developed by Cessna in partnership with Dallas-based Heads Up
Technologies, Clairity is an intelligent cabin technology solution
that ties into the aircraft avionics systems and can integrate
cabin electrical systems and data and communication sharing through
a fiber optic backbone controlled through either an intuitive
touch-screen user interface at each seat or the customer's personal
electronic device.
The Citation Latitude's cockpit is anchored by the new, fully
integrated Garmin G5000 system that centers on three 14-inch LCD
primary and multifunction displays and four touch-screen control
panels. It includes an integrated Flight Director/Autopilot and
Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS). Among the standard
features of the new system are a pilot-vehicle touch-screen
interface, TCAS II with Change 7.1, Synthetic Vision Technology,
electronic charts, Garmin's SafeTaxi, a dual flight management
system with WAAS LPV and RNP, solid-state weather radar with
turbulence detection and vertical scan capability, integrated
terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS), ADS-B Out and Link
2000+ data link. Options include satellite weather and an ICAO Type
1A flight data recorder.
A cabin mock-up of the new Citation Latitude is on display
through Wednesday at Cessna's exhibit in the Las Vegas Convention
Center. (Images provided by Cessna)