Airplane Has Embarked On A 39-Airport U.S. Tour

Cessna Aircraft Company has completed the first deliveries of its newest midsize jet, the Cessna Citation Latitude, and launched a national tour to demonstrate the airplane.

“Incorporating our customers’ input into the initial concepts of the Citation Latitude to now having the aircraft in their hands is both rewarding and exciting for everyone at Textron Aviation,” said Scott Ernest, president and CEO, Textron Aviation. “Like each new model, the Latitude reflects our continued investment in bringing products to market with the latest technology, enhanced performance and best value proposition. The momentum continues with the ongoing global tour and opportunity for prospective customers to see firsthand the latest in the Citation stable of products, which sets the standard for what they can expect to see from new products in the future.”

Among the first operators to take delivery of the Citation Latitude is Aircraft Management Group, Inc., in Pittsburgh, which will offer the aircraft as part of the company’s charter operation.

John Sieckowski, president of Aircraft Management Group, said customers prefer the comfort of the wide cabin and the flexibility of flying into smaller airports. “What’s appealing is that it’s got the amenities of larger aircraft but the flexibility to fly into short fields with trans-continental range,” he said. “That appeals to a lot of customers.”

Over the next year, Sieckowski expects the addition of the Latitude to the fleet to expand his customer base by allowing him to offer flights to the west coast and Europe.

As part of its global debut, prospective U.S. buyers will have the opportunity to experience the Latitude during a 28-day, 39-airport, coast-to-coast demonstration tour beginning Aug. 31 at Chicago Executive Airport. Other stops will include executive and international airports in locations such as Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Cleveland, White Plains, Orlando, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Denver, Salt Lake City, Boston, Seattle and several cities in California.

The U.S. tour follows an active entry into service for the Latitude, with previous successfully completed missions for its debut at major tradeshows in Europe and Latin America. In addition to its first trans-Atlantic crossing, the aircraft recently completed its first U.S. coast-to-coast and trans-Pacific flights. Additional tours are planned for Europe, the Middle East and Asia later this year.

(Images provided by Textron, Top:  John Sieckowski, president of Aircraft Management Group, takes delivery of a Cessna Citation Latitude. Bottom image from file)

FMI: www.cessna.com