The Cessna Citation Ten, the under-development version of the Citation X, Cessna’s super-fast midsize business jet, made its first flight from the company’s home field, Wichita Mid-Continent Airport, earlier this week. The jet’s first sortie was an unusually long one for a first test, lasting two hours. This gave flight test pilots time to do the usual chores, including stability and control tests, as well as tests to the autoflight and autothrust systems, checks that usually take place later on in the flight test program.
Cessna has upgraded the Ten in a number of ways. It has new, more advanced, powerful and efficient engines, winglets, new interior design and cabin entertainment options, and new avionics, the Garmin G5000 touch-control avionics suite.
If it hits its numbers, when it goes into production the Ten will be the fastest civil jet by a hair over the Gulfstream G650. With a top projected speed of 527 knots, it will be slightly faster than its roman-numeral predecessor. It’s also longer by 15 inches, giving it a more comfortable cabin. And it will have a longer range than the X, too, allowing the new jet to fly nonstop between such city pairs as Miami and Seattle and London and Dubai.
FAA certification is scheduled for the middle of next year.
