Customers Get Early Look At Ultra-Lux Interior

Cessna unveiled its new Citation Columbus concept mock-up Monday, reflecting progress to date on the program and two years of research into customer preferences. The mock-up was unveiled to customers and the media at a special event on the opening day of the National Business Aviation Association Meeting and Convention in Orlando, FL.

"This next-generation mock-up represents a departure from conventional Cessna design, exploring unique concepts, many of which are based on customer input collected during the global tour of our first conceptual design unveiled at NBAA 2006," said Jack J. Pelton, Cessna chairman, president and CEO. "From the more fully developed cockpit to the full-size baggage compartment, our Cessna interior design team has done a phenomenal job of synthesizing the market feedback from the recent tour. The result is a flexible, functional and very chic interior."

In addition to a new color palette, the interior features a flight attendant seat, more galley space, new lighting, newly sculpted sidewalls, heated passenger seats and moveable cup holders. Features such as the cabin management system will be integrated later as technology advances to meet Cessna’s requirements.

Cindy Halsey, vice president, Interior Design, Engineering and Development, said the strategy in designing the Columbus interior remains keeping the configuration flexible, a process aided by the fact Cessna’s interior design is handled exclusively by its in-house design team.

"In an aircraft this size, personalization is critical to customer satisfaction, so our design team made flexibility a top priority,'" Halsey said. "Of course, everything inside this mock-up will have to meet the same rigorous certification standards as any other aircraft, and it has to 'win' its way onto the program as being the best and most useful technology demanded by our customers. As we gather more feedback, the design will be balanced with sound engineering to produce the right solution for our customer -- balanced for form and function."

Cessna launched the Columbus program earlier this year, and to date holds more than 70 orders for the aircraft, priced at $27 million in 2008 dollars. The Citation Columbus is expected to be the only aircraft in its class capable of 4,000 nautical miles non-stop at Mach .80.

Preliminary performance numbers set a maximum cruise speed of 488 knots (Mach .85), a maximum operating speed of Mach .86, a full fuel payload of 1,950 pounds and takeoff field length of 5,400 feet at maximum takeoff weight.

FMI: www.cessna.com