Cessna Citation X+ and Sovereign+ on track for CAAC certification

Cessna Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announced today that its new Citation X+ and Citation Sovereign+ models are on track to gain certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China in early 2015. The Citation X+, the world’s fastest business jet, is making its first appearance in China in conjunction with Airshow China.

“Both the Citation X+ and Sovereign+ are extremely well-suited for the China market as they combine excellent performance, large cabin comfort, and superb acquisition and operating costs,” said Scott Ernest, Textron Aviation president and CEO. “They both have a range in excess of 3,000 nautical miles, which means the whole of Asia is one flight away.

”The Citation Sovereign+, certified in the United States in December 2013, and the Citation X+, certified in June 2014, are larger members of the world’s most popular line of business jets, the Cessna Citation family. Both aircraft boast large stand up cabins, advanced cockpit systems designed to meet global, 21st century airspace management requirements, and Cessna proprietary passenger cabin electronics that offer unrivaled productivity and communication.

The new Citation X+ has seating for up to 12 passengers, a maximum operating altitude of 51,000 feet (15,545 meters), an unmatched maximum speed of Mach 0.935, and an increased range of 3,408 nautical miles. The range of the Citation X+ gives operators the ability for direct flights from Beijing to New Delhi, Singapore to Tokyo, Shanghai to Darwin, or Hong Kong to Dubai.

Also featuring a large cabin for up to 12 people, the Citation Sovereign+ has a range of 3,188 nautical miles (5,904 km), a top speed of 460 knots (852 kilometers/hour) and a direct climb to 45,000 feet (13,716 meters).

“Our investment in new products such as the Citation X+ and Citation Sovereign+ extends to bringing these aircraft to customers in China and across the Asia Pacific region,” Ernest said. “For customers in China seeking to make smart investments for business aviation, Citations are exemplary with respect to performance and operating value without sacrificing the cabin amenities and connectivity that make business travel most productive.

”Both cabins feature Cessna’s ClairityTM cabin management system that offers passengers control of cabin lighting, window shades, temperature, and audio and video entertainment (digital media, MP3/iPhone, Blu-Ray). The interior of each aircraft can be configured in a wide array of seating layouts, color choices and entertainment options that can include international Wifi connectivity.

The most distinct outward difference of both the Citation X+ and Sovereign+ over past Citation models is the addition of winglets, allowing each aircraft to cruise efficiently at higher altitudes and to consume less fuel, as well as improving takeoff and landing performance at higher elevations or on hot days.

More than 6,600 Citations have been delivered to customers around the world since the first Cessna Citation business jet was put into service in 1972. Citations are the largest fleet of business jets in the world and have surpassed 30 million flight hours. For more information on the Citation X+ and Sovereign+, visit Cessna.com.

Photo of Citation Sovereign+

Photo of Citation X+