Cessna rolls out first production unit of new Citation X
Cessna Aircraft Co. on Monday unveiled the first production unit of its updated Citation X at a rollout ceremony with employees.
Certification of the new aircraft by the Federal Aviation Administration is expected in the fourth quarter with deliveries to begin soon after.
Cessna announced the new version of the aircraft, which includes a larger cabin and new avionics, in 2010.
The new Citation X — which went through its early planning being called the Citation Ten, before switching back to the Roman numeral moniker of its predecessor — will be the fastest civilian aircraft, with a maximum speed of Mach 0.935.
Ron Draper, senior vice president of integrated supply chain at Cessna, declined to discuss order totals, but he said that the aircraft is getting a good response from the market.
Monday’s rollout also adds to the buzz of new products rolling out of Wichita-based Cessna this year.
The Citation X is the fourth of six such rollouts planned for this year.
The other models coming off the line this year include the Grand Caravan, Citation Sovereign, the diesel-powered 182 JT-A Skylane, the Corvalis TTx, and the Citation M2.
That’s a lot going on for one year, which Draper said stands as a credit to the Wichita-based company’s employees.
“I’m proud of our work force here,” he says. “We have the world’s best work force building the world’s best aircraft.”
Daniel McCoy covers aviation, manufacturing, automotive and Koch Industries.