2004 Citation X Provides Additional Comfort & Style
Cessna's Citation X
will have an all-new interior beginning in 2004. The interior of
the 2004 Citation X has been upgraded to provide increased
passenger comfort, style, and maintainability. One of the most
notable interior upgrades is new passenger seats. Customers will
now have four inches of additional seated hip room. Cessna has
utilized its award-winning computer simulated design method to
develop and certify the new passenger seats. On the flight deck,
all new crew seats from Goodrich Aerospace will be standard. These
seats articulate in several positions for maximum comfort on both
long and short flights.
The contemporary interior furniture features pin-in/pin-out
attachment hardware that improves maintenance and fit and finish.
The latest LED technology in interior cabin controls and lighting
has been incorporated to operate lighting, cabin temperature,
window shades and audio/video equipment. LED lights produce less
heat and are more reliable than traditional cabin lighting.
New options on the 2004 Citation X include the Max-Viz Enhanced
Vision System (EVS) and Aircell satellite telephones. The 2004
Citation X upgrades will be incorporated at serial number 225.
Cessna anticipates certification and first customer deliveries in
2004.
Cessna announced the Citation X at the 1990 NBAA convention. It
received type certification in 1996, and first customer deliveries
occurred the same year. In 2002, Cessna began delivery of an
upgraded Citation X that included increased gross weight, engine
thrust, and substantially expanded standard equipment list.
Currently, 216 Citation Xs are in service with over 424,000 fleet
hours.
Citation X's Enhanced Visibility System Featured At NBAA
The 2004 Citation X's
new Enhanced Vision System (EVS) will be featured at Cessna's
static display at the 2003 National Business Aviation Association
(NBAA) Convention. The Citation X's EVS will provide greatly
enhanced situational awareness to flight crews and increase safety
of flight.
The EVS-2000 was
designed specifically for Cessna by Max-Viz, and offers
one-of-a-kind advantages to Citation operators. Most simply
defined, the EVS-2000 system combines short and long wave infrared
sensors to provide a fused image that increases situational
awareness. The short wave sensors detect high-intensity airport and
approach lighting, and the long wave sensors distinguish obstacles
and terrain by detecting minute differences in thermal energy. When
combined, a pilot is able to see a single, real-time image that
shows terrain and runways in times of reduced visibility
conditions, such as darkness, haze, smoke, smog and rain.
This option is available on all new Citation Xs. The EVS-2000
sensors are installed on top of the nose of the Citation X, and the
image will be displayed on the second FMS.
Max-Viz, Inc., a Portland, Oregon based company founded in 2001,
is the industry leader in the design, development and manufacture
of Enhanced Vision Systems for aviation, covering a broad range of
aircraft categories and types, including helicopters, business jets
and commercial air transports. EVS, using a Max-Viz patented image
processing technology, improves situational awareness and safety in
the air and on the ground using state-of-the-art, real-time,
infrared sensor technologies.
Citation CJ3 Begins Certification Flight Test
October marks the beginning of flight test certification for
Cessna's Citation CJ3. The CJ3 program was announced one year
ago at the 2002 NBAA convention. Over 150 CJ3 orders were placed by
the end of the 2002 NBAA convention. At the 2003 NBAA, Cessna
debut'd the first production CJ3, serial number 001, with a full
interior.
In the 13 months since its announcement, the CJ3 continues to
make steady progress towards certification. The two CJ3
airplanes currently in the certification program have accumulated
198 hours in over 120 flights. As planned, Cessna will add a
third aircraft to its flight test program, serial number 002, in
the upcoming months. CJ3 serial number 002's airframe was recently
completed, and engine installation is in progress.
Certification flights will be done on all three units: prototype,
serial number 001, and serial number 002.
Other CJ3 milestones include the start of the production line at
Cessna's main manufacturing facility in Wichita, Kansas. The
production line began in late July and serial numbers 003 and 004
are being manufactured. Additional units will begin moving down the
line at regularly scheduled intervals.
Cessna has completed approximately 25% of the CJ3's static
testing. Most recently, tests were conducted for the _ultimate and
maximum dynamic load cases. The CJ3 builds upon the best selling
features of the CitationJet series, while adding more comfort,
speed and range. Designed for single pilot operation, the
maximum cruise speed is 417 knots at 33,000 feet. With two
pilots, full fuel, four passengers and baggage, the CJ3 offers an
NBAA IFR range of 1,771 nm and a VFR range of 1,900 nm.
Service ceiling is 45,000 feet and the maximum gross takeoff weight
is 13,870 lbs. The time to climb directly to 45,000 feet at
maximum gross takeoff weight is 35 minutes. The CJ3's
standard seating is in a six-seat, center-club
configuration.
It is powered by dual channel full authority digital electronic
controlled (FADEC) Williams International FJ44-3A engines that
provide 2,780 pounds of thrust. The engines utilize next generation
component aerodynamics, and a new compound sweep, wide chord fan
that allow for exceptional fuel efficiency. The Collins Pro Line 21
avionics system's primary flight displays and enhanced
multi-function display are presented on three 8-inch by 10-inch
active matrix color liquid crystal displays. In order to meet
RVSM requirements, Cessna has included the co-pilot's primary
flight display with second air data computer as standard
equipment. Other integrated avionics features include a file
server system with cursor control panel and enhanced map overlays,
Pro Line 21 CNS radios, and Collins FMS-3000.
Wichita Citation Service Center Is On Schedule
Cessna's Wichita
Citation Service Center is on schedule for its November 2004 grand
opening. The 447,259 square foot building will be the largest
general aviation/business jet aircraft maintenance facility in the
world.
Since concluding site work and commencing construction in
mid-2003, construction has progressed rapidly. To date, the apron,
taxiway, and run-up areas have been completed. Over 800,000 square
feet of nine inch concrete was used to complete these areas. Work
is currently underway on steel framing the buildings, laying
underground utilities, and completing a fuel farm. The new Citation
Service Center will house five complete aircraft service bays that
provide 250,000 square feet floor footage. Cessna will have the
capacity to service up to 120 aircraft a day in these five service
bays. It is estimated that 70% of the facilities capacity will
immediately be utilized upon completion of the facility.
The facility is located on a 124-acre site leased to Cessna by
the Wichita Airport Authority. The Service Center will operate 24
hours a day, 7 days a week. Cessna announced the Wichita Citation
Service Center in November 2001, and in May 2003, The Law Company,
Inc., was awarded the contract to build the facility.
Cessna Simplifies Flight Planning
Cessna Aircraft Company has developed an exclusive FAA an
approved electronic performance program that will simplify flight
planning for Citation operators. The Citation Performance
Calculator is a Windows-based program that will allow pilots to
perform detailed flight planning in approximately 3-5 minutes,
versus the current method using paper Airplane Flight Manual (AFM)
tables. This user-friendly calculator determines takeoff, climb,
and landing data for any given conditions. The operator simply
enters the airport identifier, current weather conditions and
aircraft configuration. With the click of a button, the calculator
provides the pilot with the takeoff performance, takeoff speed,
climb gradients, landing distance, and landing speeds for the
specified weather conditions, airport location and aircraft
configuration. To accommodate the differences between Citation X
aircraft, Cessna is offering two unique programs: one for pre unit
0173 aircraft and another for units 0173 and on.
An example of the performance that may be gained by using the
Citation Performance Calculator is as follows: A customer using his
paper AFM tables for calculating his maximum takeoff weight from
Aspen on a 15* C day with a 7,006 ft long runway and 2% downhill
gradient would determine the maximum weight to be 31,000 pounds by
using the next higher altitude, temperature and weight as listed.
In comparison, by using the Citation Performance Calculator and
identifying the specific weather and field conditions, the operator
will be given a precise maximum weight of 33,390 pounds. This exact
calculation lets the operator know they have a potential of 2,390
pounds more useful load than calculated using the paper AFM
method.
The Citation Performance Calculator is currently available on
the Citation X. It is unique because it is FAA approved and meets
guidelines for the certification, airworthiness and operational
approval of devices such as electronic flight bag computing
devices. Cessna anticipates that the Citation Performance
Calculator will be available to all in-production Citations by the
end of 2004. The introductory purchase price for the Citation X
Performance Calculator is $350, with an annual subscription fee of
$250. Future functional additions will likely include weight and
balance calculations, as well as the possibility of enroute flight
planning.
ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.15.24)
See All