After delivering its 7,000th Citation worldwide as of June 2016, Cessna continues to redefine the industry’s midsize category by providing large jet comfort with midsize jet efficiency. With increasing success, Cessna introduced two new jets to the market that maintain the standards of business aviation and strive for revolutionary performance: the Citation Latitude and Citation Longitude.
Citation Latitude
Making its first delivery nearing the end of 2015, the Citation Latitude is a brand new midsize jet designed to provide pleasurable and productive business travel at a midsize price. The jet has five windows on each side, a cruciform tail, and wings that are curled up at the tip. Seating a maximum of nine passengers, the Citation’s cabin is over 21 feet long, 6.5 feet wide and six feet in height. The cabin is not only spacious for a midsize, but features wide seats, large windows, and a flat cabin floor. The executive style seats recline into beds, turn in all directions, and slide into the aisle, maximizing comfort possibilities for passengers. Additionally, the baggage compartment holds a volume of 127 cubic feet, which can store up to 1,245 pounds of luggage.
At a range of 2,850nm and high speed cruise of 0.80 Mach, the Citation Latitude can fly nonstop from New York to Los Angeles or from Geneva to Dubai. Its Pratt & Whitney turbofan engines each produce 5,907 pounds of thrust, delivering impressive performance and speed on each and every flight.
In the flight deck, the Latitude comes equipped with fully integrated auto throttle control, which helps pilots by giving them the ability to automatically shift to a specific speed when a designated altitude is reached. Additionally, the cockpit has touch screen panels with increased sensitivity that allow pilots to easily and seamlessly activate changes with the touch of their finger.
Made for pursuing business, the Citation Latitude has large jet amenities at a low ownership cost. Selling for about $16.3 million, the Latitude is about 15% less expensive than the average private mid-size jet.
Citation Longitude
Successfully completing its first flight in October of 2016, Cessna’s Citation Longitude expects to be FAA certified in 2017. As a super midsize jet, the Longitude is the largest aircraft Cessna has designed until the Citation Hemisphere enters into service. A high swept T-tail and winglets help this jet stand apart from the Latitude. It can seat up to 12 passengers in a cabin that is 3.41 feet longer than the Citation Latitude’s, while the width and height remain the same in each jet. The Longitude’s cabin typically has a double club configuration, but a couch can replace two standard seats if preferred.
The Longitude has five more windows than the Latitude, but features the same flat cabin floor design, making mobility easy. Seating is fully berthable, and there is increased leg room compared to the Latitude because of the Longitude’s extended cabin length. The baggage compartment is slightly smaller than that of the Latitude, as the Longitude can only hold 112 cubic feet or 1,115 pounds of baggage. However, the Longitude’s baggage compartment is internal and fully accessible in flight.
In order to make room for more passengers, Cessna decided to adapt the fuselage from the Latitude and stretch it to add another row of seats. The Longitude will also have an aft fuselage designed to accommodate the jet’s new powerful engines.
Increasing in range from the Latitude, the Longitude has a long range of 3,400nm and high speed cruise of 0.84 Mach. It is able to fly from Teterboro to Paris or from London to Dubai in about six and a half hours. The aircraft is powered by two Honeywell turbofan engines that each deliver 7,600 pounds of thrust, making them the most powerful engines ever fitted to a Citation. Similar to the Latitude, the Longitude will have complete touch-screen controls with the Garmin G5000 flight deck. Three 14-inch glass displays and four touch-screen controllers make operations seamless for pilots.
Designed for business, the Citation Longitude will sell for a list price of about $26 million, an excellent value for a brand new super midsize jet. Low running and maintenance costs, as well as industry-leading fuel efficiency increase the cost efficiency of the Longitude.
As brand new midsize jets, both the Citation Latitude and Longitude offer unbeatable price and efficiency. Although their designs are similar, they have clear differences when it comes to size, engine power, and speed. Whether you decide to fly in the Latitude or Longitude, the standards of business aviation are sure to exceed your expectations.
