The first Citation Latitude hits the charter market
It’s been a much-talked-about aircraft since Cessna announced the development of the Citation Latitude at NBAA in October 2011. And we’ve been looking forward to seeing how this ‘gap-filler’ in the Citation line-up performs in the charter market.
And with the first Latitude now available for charter, the wait is over.
The aircraft was certified in June, after outperforming its performance targets during testing. It now has an official range of 2,850 nm, compared to the 2,000 nm originally expected. So expectations are high.
Sometimes it can take a few months after deliveries begin before a new private jet aircraft becomes available for charter (if initial deliveries are to private or corporate owners for example). But in this case, one of the first deliveries of the Latitude was to a US-based charter operator on the PrivateFly network. So we’re delighted to be able to offer it to our clients already.
Read more: The stages of development of a new private jet
Cessna’s new $16M mid-sized business jet is larger than the Citation XLS+ but more cost-effective than the Citation Sovereign, slotting in between the two in their Citation range.
The Latitude is already being talked about as a breakthrough aircraft in the mid-sized jet market due to its cabin size. So here’s a closer look at this highly anticipated new aircraft.
THE MOST STYLISH CITATION YET
Cessna’s Citation jets have always had an excellent reputation for reliability and performance, but in recent years have faced increasing competition from other manufacturers when it comes to cabin design – notably Gulfstream and Embraer.
Read more: A who’s who of private jet manufacturers
So after customer feedback, Cessna designed the Latitude to have a taller and wider cabin than any in the Citation range, giving passengers more space without increasing its operating costs. Cessna’s aim was to create an “unmatched cabin experience at this price point.”
The cabin is 77 inches wide; has a truly flat floor; and a stand up height of six feet throughout. There are six ergonomically-designed single seats, plus a double side-facing couch option.
Advanced touchscreen entertainment technology and choice of interior design options add to the Latitude’s stylish appeal.
CATEGORY-LEADING PERFORMANCE
The Citation Latitude’s certified maximum range of 2,850nm puts it at the upper end of the mid-sized jet category. This makes it capable of flying coast-to-coast across the US without a fuel stop, and longer routes within Europe and the Middle East, such as Geneva to Dubai.
Additionally, the Latitude’s flight deck includes touchscreen displays and Garmin’s Synthetic Vision Technology system, giving pilots’ a virtual-reality view of terrain, obstacles, traffic and runways outside of their range of vision.
LOWER COSTS THROUGH OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY
The Citation Latitude will be 20% cheaper than rival aircraft such as the Gulfstream G280 or Embraer Legacy 450 according to Cessna’s owner Textron – good news for both customers and operators. The Latitude will achieve this by offering better operational performance and efficiency, reducing fuel costs on each flight, but also lower maintenance costs.
This first available Citation Latitude will be based in the US and further aircraft will be following in Europe in the coming months. It’s going to be fascinating to hear feedback from the early Latitude charter customers.
For enquiries about chartering the Citation Latitude, or any other private jet aircraft, contact us or call our Flight Team (24 hours) on +44 1747 642 777.
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