Cessna increases range for new Citation Latitude biz jet

Cessna has announced that its planned new midsize business jet, the Citation Latitude, is now expected to have a maximum range of 2,300 nautical miles.

When the Citation Latitude was launched in October 2011 at the National Business Aircraft Association Annual Meeting and Convention, Cessna stated that it would have a range of 2000 nautical miles. However, market research has since indicated that potential customers wouldn’t be satisfied with that originally stated range.

“The increased range will give the aircraft more flexibility to fly a wider variety of missions and meet our customer requirements for comfort and performance,” Cessna Vice President, Sales – Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia (EMAA), Trevor Esling, said.

As the first Latitude buyer in Europe, EFO Aviation GmbH & Co. KG was sold on the aircraft’s new extended range as well as its 72-inch, flat-floor cabin. The aircraft will be operated by Air Hamburg Private Jets, Germany, which will use it for charter and executive transportation.

“The Latitude is a new class of Citation and we are very happy to be the first to bring it to Europe,” Air Hamburg managing director Floris Helmers said. “The 2300-nm range will allow us to meet many different mission demands, including between Germany and Moscow.”

First flight of the Citation Latitude prototype is expected to be mid-year 2014, with FAA certification (Part 25) and entry into service expected in 2015. And the price tag? US$14.9 million.

Click here to read our previous reporting on the Cessna Citation Latitude.