The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has verified the speed of the new Cessna Citation X, validating it as the fastest civil aircraft in the world.
Testing requirements showed that the Citation X has a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.935, or 536 KTAS.
“The high-speed testing of the new Citation X was a success," said Cessna Senior VP of Engineering. "All responses from the high-speed certification testing were well within the expected performance envelope. While these are the results our engineers fully anticipated, this final round of testing went so smoothly the conditions were completed in fewer flights and hours than planned.”
The high-speed testing program includes handling, stability and control in addition to maneuverability conditions at high speeds. The Citation X high-speed validation was done with the collaboration of FAA pilots and Cessna’s Engineering Flight Test Team during the past weeks. Certification is now expected in the first half of 2014.
The Citation X has a range of 3242 nm and seating capacity for nine. Maximum altitude is 51,000 feet, giving the Citation X the ability to fly above weather patterns and commercial traffic.