Tag: Longitude

Textron Aviation and NetJets sign fleet agreement for up to 1,500 Cessna Citation jets

September 20, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

September 20, 2023, – NetJets named launch customer for the new Cessna Citation Ascend

Wichita, Kansas, Business Wire – Textron Aviation (NYSE: TXT) and NetJets, a Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRKa) today announced a record-breaking fleet agreement for the option for NetJets to purchase up to 1,500 additional Cessna Citation business jets over the next 15 years. This agreement extends NetJets’ existing fleet agreement, and includes options for an increasing number of aircraft each year, enabling NetJets to expand its fleet with Cessna Citation Ascend, Citation Latitude and Citation Longitude aircraft. Equally exciting is the announcement that NetJets has been named the fleet launch customer for Textron Aviation’s newest jet — the Citation Ascend. Deliveries of the Citation Ascend are expected to begin in 2025 when the aircraft, currently under development, is expected to enter into service.

Since the inception of the more than 40-year relationship between the companies, NetJets has taken delivery of more than 800 aircraft from Textron Aviation, including exercising over 300 options for Citation Latitudes and Longitudes during the past eight years. This enduring relationship equips discerning customers with class-leading, safe, and reliable aviation travel experiences worldwide. Through the years, NetJets has owned and operated industry-leading Citations including the Citation SII, V, Excel/XLS, Sovereign, X, Latitude and Longitude models.

The Citation series of business jets has evolved to offer an unmatched range of capabilities, systems and options that allow customers to expand their business reach. More than 30 Citation models have been certified over the 50-year history of the Citation line. There are currently six Citation models in production: Citation M2 Gen2,Citation CJ3+, Citation CJ4 Gen2, Citation XLS Gen2, Citation Latitude and Citation Longitude, with the Citation Ascend under development.

Textron Aviation delivers the first flagship Cessna Citation Longitude registered in Mexico

July 8, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

WICHITA, Kansas (BUSINESS WIRE) – Textron (NYSE: TXT) Aviation today announced that it has delivered the first flagship Cessna Citation Longitude super-midsize business jet registered in Mexico to a customer who plans to utilize the aircraft for business travel throughout Mexico and North America. The Longitude received certification from the Mexican Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) in 2022.

The Citation Longitude incorporates the latest technologies throughout the aircraft like integrated autopilot, autothrottles, and emergency descent mode (EDM). The aircraft is equally designed around the pilot experience, passenger comfort and overall performance, delivering an aircraft that lives up to its designation as the flagship of the Citation family of business jets. No other super-midsize business jet offers more range, greater payload or higher cruise speed at a lower direct operating cost. Longitude owners and operators in Mexico can appreciate city pairs such as Monterrey, Mexico to Asuncion, Paraguay; Toluca, Mexico to Belem, Brazil; and with only one stop, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico to Tokyo, Japan.

The company recently announced that the 100th production unit of the Citation Longitude rolled out of the factory and is expected to deliver later this year.

About the Cessna Citation Longitude

The clean-sheet design of the Longitude integrates the latest technology throughout the aircraft, bringing customers the lowest direct operating cost in its class. Powered by FADEC-equipped Honeywell HTF7700L turbofan engines, the Longitude combines on-condition engine overhaul periods to best-in-class airframe intervals of 18 months / 800 hours, whichever occurs first. Textron Aviation’s full time diagnostics recording system (AReS) and 3D Technical Publications combine advanced technology to reduce maintenance downtime and overall costs to operation.

Cessna Citation Longitude Achieves EASA Certification

July 13, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Textron Aviation today announced its flagship Cessna Citation Longitude super-midsize business jet achieved certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), clearing the way for customer deliveries to begin in the region.

The Cessna Citation Longitude super-midsize business jet is designed, produced and delivered by Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company.

The largest jet in the Cessna Citation lineup, the Longitude was designed with business and return on investment at the forefront, with the lowest direct operating cost of any super-midsize jet. Capable of flying from Geneva to Dubai or Rome to New Delhi, the Longitude offers class-leading comfort, the quietest cabin in class, and advanced connectivity for those focused on staying productive in the air.

As a clean-sheet aircraft, the Longitude was designed with innovation front of mind, and a cabin experience shaped around customer input and a broad range of mission capabilities.

The Longitude is backed by Textron Aviation’s extensive global customer service network, providing customers with direct access to nearly 3,000 expert employees, including service representatives offering maintenance, inspections, parts, repairs, avionic upgrades, equipment installations, refurbishments and other specialized services.

Cessna Citation Longitude Begins Production Deliveries

October 6, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

WICHITA, Kansas–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today announced the first deliveries of the company’s new flagship Cessna Citation Longitude super-midsize business jet, signaling the start of a new dimension in business travel. The Longitude received FAA type certification on September 21, 2019.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191002005194/en/

“The newly certified Citation Longitude brings unrivaled technology to the business travel market, for both the passenger and the pilot, offering our customers the most efficient and productive super-midsize jet now in operation,” said Ron Draper, president and CEO. “We are thrilled to now transition this program into service.”

The Longitude features the longest maintenance intervals in its class – 800 hours or 18 months – and is the most cost-effective aircraft in its category.

“The Longitude was designed around maximizing reliability and operational availability for our customers,” said Kriya Shortt, senior vice president, Global Customer Support. “The Longitude’s industry-leading on-board diagnostics system is backed by Textron Aviation’s team of 3,000 customer service employees. Our expert technicians trained alongside the development of the program and are ready to support our customers wherever they are in the world.”

The clean-sheet design of the Longitude integrates the latest technology throughout the aircraft, including the next evolution of the Garmin G5000 flight deck. The comfortable, bespoke interior of the Longitude has class-leading legroom, cabin sound levels that are nearly twice as quiet as the nearest competitor, a low cabin altitude of 5,950 feet and more standard features than all other competitors in this segment.

About the Citation Longitude
With a range of 3,500 nautical miles (6,482 kilometers) and full fuel payload of 1,600 pounds (726 kilograms), the Citation Longitude is designed to elevate passenger expectations in the super-midsize class by delivering the quietest cabin, a low cabin altitude (5,950 feet/1,814 meters), more standard features and a comfortable, bespoke interior. With seating for up to 12 passengers, including an optional crew jump seat, the Longitude features a stand-up, 6-foot tall flat-floor cabin. A standard double-club configuration delivers the most legroom in the super-midsize class. Fully berthable seats are designed and manufactured in-house and a spacious walk-in baggage compartment is accessible throughout the entire flight. State-of-the-art cabin technology enables passengers to manage their environment and entertainment from any mobile device, while high-speed internet maximizes in-flight productivity.

The clean-sheet design of the Longitude integrates the latest technology throughout the aircraft, bringing customers the lowest ownership cost in its class. It features the next evolution of the Garmin G5000 flight deck and is powered by FADEC-equipped Honeywell HTF7700L turbofan engines with fully integrated autothrottles with envelope protection. The spacious cockpit incorporates easier access and an ergonomic design that fully focuses on crew comfort and efficiency.

No super-midsize business jet offers more range, greater payload or higher cruise speed at a lower expected total ownership cost.

Textron Profit Beats on Higher Aircraft Sales

April 17, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

FILE PHOTO: Cessna employee works on an engine of a Cessna business jet at the assembly line in their manufacturing plant in Wichita, Kansas March 12, 2013. REUTERS/Jeff Tuttle

(Reuters) – Cessna business jet maker Textron Inc reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Wednesday, benefiting from robust aircraft deliveries, sending its share up 1.6 percent in early trading.

Business jet demand has been growing steadily in the United States, the world’s biggest market, on the back of an expanding economy and rising corporate profits.

Textron said it delivered 44 jets in the first quarter ended March 30, up from 36 last year. Commercial turboprop deliveries rose to 44 aircraft from 29 last year.

“We think this quarter has pretty much ticked all the boxes for Textron. Aviation growth has continued, with a positive book to bill in the quarter,” Vertical Research Partners analyst Robert Stallard said.

Textron has faced delays in final certification of its newest super mid-size Longitude jet, which is expected to contribute a ‘big chunk’ to the company’s revenue growth in 2019.

Analysts have warned that the certification delays from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration due to partial government shutdown followed by the regulator’s intense focus on re-certifying Boeing Co’s 737 MAX aircraft might impact sales growth at the company in the short.

Though the aviation business was among the drivers for a profit beat, Textron’s revenue missed Wall Street estimates, hurt by lower sales in its systems unit, which makes tactical armored patrol vehicles.

Textron re-affirmed its full-year profit outlook range of $3.55 to $3.75 per share.

Sales in the company’s aviation business, its biggest, rose 12.3 percent to $1.13 billion in the first quarter, while sales in the systems unit fell more than 20 percent to $307 million.

The company’s net income fell to $179 million in the quarter ended March 30 from $189 million a year earlier.

Textron earned 76 cents per share, above analysts’ average estimate of 68 cents, according to Refinitiv data.

Textron’s revenue fell 5.7 percent to $3.11 billion, below analysts’ estimates of $3.17 billion.

(Reporting by Divya R and Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)

The Cessna Citation Longitude

February 6, 2018 / WIL BALDWIN

Textron announced last Wednesday that its newest business jet, the Cessna Citation Longitude, is nearing the completion of its flight test program. The company expects to obtain certification from the FAA before the end of the first quarter this year. Once the aircraft receives its certification, the company will be able to start customer deliveries of the new super-midsize jet.

The airplane is being built at Textron Aviation’s in Wichita, Kansas. The Longitude model follows on the success of the Cessna Citation Latitude, which accounted for 54 of the 180 business jets the company delivered in 2017. The Longitude was originally concieved as a $25.9 million, 12-passenger aircraft in 2012. The design was based around a pair of Safran engines that would delivered a 4,000-nautical-mile range at Mach 0.82. However, Cessna decided to change the design to better suit the super-midsize market. The revamped Longitude uses Honeywell HTF 7000-series engines with a 3,500 nautical mile range, and a lower $23.9 million price tag.

This larger airplane uses the same cabin cross section as the Latitude at six feet tall and more than six feet wide, the narrowest in its class. The cabin length comes in at 25 feet, and is available in a variety of seating configurations from the standard 8, to as many as 12 passengers. The standard configuration includes a double club-four arrangement of eight single executive seats, plus a side-facing single kibitzer in the front of the aircraft that’s suitable for a flight attendant. It’s also equipped with a full forward galley, aft vacuum flush lavatory, and a 112-cubic-foot baggage compartment accessible in flight.

Cessna has also announced that it’s looking at developing an even larger model than the Longitude. The Citation Hemisphere is a planned 4,500-nautical-mile, $35 million aircraft that will be aimed at the low end of the large cabin market. Safran has now resolved the technical issues that it had with the Silvercrest engine, so it is now looking like that will be the powerplant that the Hemisphere will be based around.