Cessna announced further milestones in the development of its two newest business jets this week; the first flight of the new Citation CJ3+ on July 28th, and likewise the second production model of the Latitude (Serial 002) on July 25th.

The successful maiden flight of the first production CJ3+ took place at the company’s manufacturing facility adjacent to Mid-Continent Airport in Wichita, Kan. Mark Tuttle, production flight test pilot, said all systems performed as expected during the 73 min. flight. The new aircraft was first announced on March 20 of this year, and Federal Aviation Administration certification is expected this year.

The maiden flight of the first production CJ3+ took place at the company’s manufacturing facility adjacent to Mid-Continent Airport in Wichita, Kan.

“Response to the CJ3+ has been excellent; customers recognize the value proposition of the airplane with its Garmin G3000 flight deck along with upgraded interiors and systems throughout,” said Chris Hearne, vice president, Jets. “The CJ3+ is engineered for superior reliability without sacrificing efficiency and comfort, and is offered with best-in-class acquisition and direct operating costs.”

The newest aircraft in the popular line of CJ-series jets includes all-new interiors with a redesigned cabin and cockpit, new pressurization and new diagnostics systems. The CJ3+ features the Garmin G3000 avionics suite, which includes turbulence detecting weather radar, TCAS II, advanced Terrain Awareness Warning Systems (TAWS), and the installation of automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) capabilities. The addition of ADS-B capability makes the CJ3+ compliant with a significant aspect of announced Next Generation (NexGen) air traffic control requirements. The aircraft also features a wireless media server, Garmin integrated cockpit and cabin Iridium phone, and high speed internet capabilities.

With its long range cruise of up to 2,070 nautical miles, the CJ3+ can fly passengers nonstop from Washington, D.C., to Mexico City; from San Diego, Calif., to Juneau, Alaska; or from Lima, Peru, to São Paulo, Brazil. The CJ3+ is expected to receive single-pilot certification and has maximum seating capacity for nine passengers.

Citation Latitude

Serial 002 is the third Citation Latitude to join the certification flight test program and is the first aircraft that will be equipped with an operational configuration, including full cabin layout and systems. It will also be the first Citation Latitude exhibited to the public, making its debut in October at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) annual event in Orlando.

“The focus of the Latitude team has been on designing and producing the highest quality aircraft, on time that meets our customers’ requirements, and today’s flight was right in line with expectations,” said Chris Hearne. “We’re looking forward to its public debut at NBAA.”

The Latitude certification flight test program has amassed more than 330 hours in more than 150 flights.

This flight for Serial 002 lasted 2.7 hours and was flown by engineering test pilots Andrew Peters and David Stanko. Serial 002 reached a maximum altitude of 45,000 feet and a maximum speed of 305 KIAS and 0.80 Mach. During the flight, the crew evaluated the autopilot and autothrottle, landing gear, pressurization, engine operating characteristics, environmental systems, and flight control systems. This flight also marked the first time all three Citation Latitude prototypes were in the air simultaneously.

The Latitude certification flight test program has amassed more than 330 hours in more than 150 flights. Other 2014 milestones met on time include the Citation Latitude prototype’s first flight in February, Serial 001 first flight and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) in May, and start of production line flow in June. Final FAA type certification is expected next year.

The Citation Latitude features an all-new fuselage, creating the most open, spacious, light and refined cabin environment in the midsize category. The Latitude has the widest fuselage of any Citation jet, a flat cabin floor and 6 feet (1.83 meters) of cabin height. Cessna’s Clairity™ cabin-technology system ties into the Latitude’s advanced avionics center to provide connectivity and entertainment to each passenger through their personal electronic devices.

The Citation Latitude accommodates up to nine passengers, can reach a flight level of 43,000 feet (13,106 meters) in just 23 minutes and has a range of up to 2,500 nautical miles (4,630 kilometers). It is designed with a powerful new cabin cooling system, a pressurization system providing a 6,000-foot (1,829-meter) cabin altitude at the aircraft’s maximum operating altitude of 45,000 feet (13,716 meters), an electronically-operated cabin door and Garmin G5000 avionics, two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306D engines, and auto-throttle capabilities.