Cessna’s Citation Longitude jet makes maiden flight

Cessna Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation, has completed the first flight of its super-latest midsize jet prototype, Citation Longitude.

The maiden flight was conducted less than a year after Cessna revealed new details of the aircraft.

Controlled by pilots Ed Wenninger and Stuart Rogerson, the two hour and two minute flight took off from Textron Aviation’s Beech Field Airport campus in the US.

During the flight, Citation Longitude’s flaps, landing gear, pressurisation systems, stability and control have been tested.

Textron Aviation president and CEO Scott Ernest said: “Our product development process is second to none and allowed us to move smoothly from unveiling the Longitude last November, to the first flight of the prototype in just 11 months.

“This milestone not only showcases our continued commitment to investing in new products to meet market demand, but also our focus on investing in our development and production processes to bring the aircraft to market quickly without compromise.”

The company said that the prototype of Citation Longitude would focus on flight controls and aerodynamics testing in its upcoming flights.

The aircraft’s first production model, which will fly in the next couple of weeks, will be mainly used for systems testing.

Designed mainly to offer maximum passenger comfort and the lowest cabin altitude, the Citation Longitude has a seating capacity for up to 12 passengers.

Featuring a stand-up, flat-floor cabin with a standard double-club configuration and a walk-in baggage, the aircraft enables passengers to manage their on-board environment and entertainment units from any mobile device.

Citation Longitude also features a Garmin G5000 flight deck and is powered by FADEC-equipped Honeywell HTF7700L turbofan engines.

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Image: A prototype of Citation Longitude during its maiden flight. Photo: courtesy of Textron Aviation.