Citation X — 10 for 10 ATLEY JACK ATLEY JACK 10 for 10 — X Citation Cessna

The Cessna Citation X is synonymous with the word “speed”. “speed”. word the with synonymous is X Citation Cessna The Contributor Benn Marks explains why. why. explains Marks Benn Contributor

WHEN IT ENTERED SERVICE IN 1996, the sleek, highly advanced fast. It was designed to cross the US continent faster than anything anything than faster continent US the cross to designed was It fast. advanced highly sleek, the 1996, IN SERVICE ENTERED IT WHEN Citation jet was acknowledged as being the fastest in else, and that was its primary role,” JetCity managing director and and director managing JetCity role,” primary its was that and else, in jet business fastest the being as acknowledged was jet Citation the world, period. It eclipsed all competitors — regardless of class — chief pilot, Lorne Cole, says. “And as far as modern corporate aircraft corporate modern as far as “And says. Cole, Lorne pilot, chief — class of regardless — competitors all eclipsed It period. world, the and boasted a maximum cruising speed of Mach 0.92. In fact, after go, this one handles beautifully. Because it was a clean-sheet design, design, clean-sheet a was it Because beautifully. handles one this go, after fact, In 0.92. Mach of speed cruising maximum a boasted and the retirement of the Concorde in 2003, the Citation X was consid - and so much time and effort was spent on the aerodynamics and and aerodynamics the on spent was effort and time much so and - consid was X Citation the 2003, in Concorde the of retirement the ered the fastest civil aircraft in the world before it briefly relinquished handling qualities of the aircraft, it really does just fly beautifully and and beautifully fly just does really it aircraft, the of qualities handling relinquished briefly it before world the in aircraft civil fastest the ered the title to a rival company’s design in 2012. it’s probably the nicest handling jet I’ve flown,” he adds. adds. he flown,” I’ve jet handling nicest the probably it’s 2012. in design company’s rival a to title the However, the Citation X’s younger, ever-so-slightly larger sibling, Cole is quick to point out the Citation X is not just all about speed speed about all just not is X Citation the out point to quick is Cole sibling, larger ever-so-slightly younger, X’s Citation the However, the Citation X+, reclaimed the title for Cessna in 2014, something and handling characteristics, as it offers a princely ride for the com- - com the for ride princely a offers it as characteristics, handling and something 2014, in Cessna for title the reclaimed X+, Citation the which it has held ever since (the Citation X+’s maximum speed be - pany’s corporate and executive charter clientele too. Being in the the in Being too. clientele charter executive and corporate pany’s - be speed maximum X+’s Citation (the since ever held has it which ing a very impressive Mach 0.935). As for the original leading edge, midsize segment, the Citation X cabin is furnished with double-club double-club with furnished is cabin X Citation the segment, midsize edge, leading original the for As 0.935). Mach impressive very a ing clean-sheet design Citation X — it comprehensively demolished any seating for eight passengers, and has a belted seat immediately immediately seat belted a has and passengers, eight for seating any demolished comprehensively it — X Citation design clean-sheet doubts about whether Cessna could design competitively fast jets behind the forward galley, plus a belted lavatory seat. The passenger passenger The seat. lavatory belted a plus galley, forward the behind jets fast competitively design could Cessna whether about doubts when it arrived on the business aviation scene over 20 years ago. cabin is also a winner with passengers because it’s relatively large; a a large; relatively it’s because passengers with winner a also is cabin ago. years 20 over scene aviation business the on arrived it when And the reality is it can still hold its own with the best of them today. very generous 23ft 7in in length, while cabin height and width scale scale width and height cabin while length, in 7in 23ft generous very today. them of best the with own its hold still can it is reality the And In fact, in terms of raw speed alone, the original Citation X model is is 5ft 7in and 5ft 6in, respectively. Even when seated there is plenty plenty is there seated when Even respectively. 6in, 5ft and 7in 5ft is is model X Citation original the alone, speed raw of terms in fact, In still regarded as one of the fastest civil jets in the world. It also just of head and shoulder room, so occupants can freely swivel in their their in swivel freely can occupants so room, shoulder and head of just also It world. the in jets civil fastest the of one as regarded still happens to be a consummate performer in the midsize segment, as seats without body parts hitting cabin walls. walls. cabin hitting parts body without seats as segment, midsize the in performer consummate a be to happens well as a stunning design. Cole says that on an average charter flight the jet will carry carry will jet the flight charter average an on that says Cole design. stunning a as well Many examples of the impressive jet can be found operating anywhere from four to six passengers, with a flight crew of two two of crew flight a with passengers, six to four from anywhere operating found be can jet impressive the of examples Many around the world. In Australia, JetCity is one such company to have upfront. The Citation X also comes with a spacious lavatory at the the at lavatory spacious a with comes also X Citation The upfront. have to company such one is JetCity Australia, In world. the around a Citation X on its books flying customers near the speed of sound rear, which is big enough to double up as a private dressing room room dressing private a as up double to enough big is which rear, sound of speed the near customers flying books its on X Citation a in luxury since 2008. for guests to change in before landing. It also provides plenty of of plenty provides also It landing. before in change to guests for 2008. since luxury in “You don’t buy a Citation X to go slow. If you want to go slow you luggage space with a heated, pressurised baggage compartment compartment baggage pressurised heated, a with space luggage you slow go to want you If slow. go to X Citation a buy don’t “You buy a hot air balloon, that’s the thing. The people who buy these that can hold 700lbs of baggage. baggage. of 700lbs hold can that these buy who people The thing. the that’s balloon, air hot a buy airplanes, and the people who charter these airplanes, want to go “The cabin is large and well-equipped. It’s also very comfortable and and comfortable very also It’s well-equipped. and large is cabin “The go to want airplanes, these charter who people the and airplanes,

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From a systems perspective, the Citation X comes equipped equipped comes X Citation the perspective, systems a From oven, microwave a with galley good a got It’s in. travel to quiet very very quiet to travel in. It’s got a good galley with a microwave oven, From a systems perspective, the Citation X comes equipped with some little whiz-bang goodies that help it to fly fast and high. high. and fast fly to it help that goodies whiz-bang little some with entertainment Inflite DVD dual a got it’s and areas, cold and hot and and hot and cold areas, and it’s got a dual DVD Inflite entertainment with some little whiz-bang goodies that help it to fly fast and high. Besides the obvious and impressive highly efficient swept wing, wing, swept efficient highly impressive and obvious the Besides their appreciate to seem really and it like passengers the So system. system. So the passengers like it and really seem to appreciate their Besides the obvious and impressive highly efficient swept wing, the jet is also equipped with two fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Allison Allison Rolls-Royce fuel-efficient two with equipped also is jet the X Citation the in tours few a do also We aircraft. this in flying time time flying in this aircraft. We also do a few tours in the Citation X the jet is also equipped with two fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Allison AE3007C1 engines, each capable of pushing out 6,764lbs 6,764lbs out pushing of capable each engines, turbofan AE3007C1 it. with familiar are passengers and speed, and range its of because because of its range and speed, and passengers are familiar with it. AE3007C1 turbofan engines, each capable of pushing out 6,764lbs of thrust. Cole mentions that “as long as you’ve got 1,500 metres of of metres 1,500 got you’ve as long “as that mentions Cole thrust. of a aircraft the off and on get they where trips, long on go we When When we go on long trips, where they get on and off the aircraft a of thrust. Cole mentions that “as long as you’ve got 1,500 metres of runway you’re good to go in this airplane”, and on a standard day the the day standard a on and airplane”, this in go to good you’re runway passengers the see can we weeks, or days of series a over times few few times over a series of days or weeks, we can see the passengers runway you’re good to go in this airplane”, and on a standard day the are very comfortable in it. They make it like their their like it make They it. in comfortable very are are very comfortable in it. They make it like their own down the back,” Cole points out. points Cole back,” the down own own down the back,” Cole points out. - Aus of one is JetCity Airport-based Essendon Essendon Airport-based JetCity is one of Aus- tralia’s big-hitting aircraft management/charter management/charter aircraft big-hitting tralia’s tralia’s big-hitting aircraft management/charter specialists, with the flying hardware to help it it help to hardware flying the with specialists, specialists, with the flying hardware to help it fulfil its professional corporate/executive charter charter corporate/executive professional its fulfil fulfil its professional corporate/executive charter - re flying retrieval medevac/organ periodic and and periodic medevac/organ retrieval flying re- sponsibilities. The company’s location in Victoria, Victoria, in location company’s The sponsibilities. sponsibilities. The company’s location in Victoria, Australia, provides it with good access to New New to access good with it provides Australia, Australia, provides it with good access to New - conti Australian the Pacific, lower the Zealand, Zealand, the lower Pacific, the Australian conti- nent, plus Southeast Asia. Consequently, it has has it Consequently, Asia. Southeast plus nent, ATLEY JACK ATLEY JACK nent, plus Southeast Asia. Consequently, it has the right stuff to fly to those regions, plus further further plus regions, those to fly to stuff right the the right stuff to fly to those regions, plus further afield, should a corporate customer require a jet jet a require customer corporate a should afield, afield, should a corporate customer require a jet with long-range capability. The Citation X is just just is X Citation The capability. long-range with with long-range capability. The Citation X is just one jet — among a fleet that includes a Learjet Learjet a includes that fleet a among — jet one one jet — among a fleet that includes a Learjet 35, 45 and Gulfstream IV aircraft that can whisk whisk can that aircraft IV Gulfstream and 45 35, 35, 45 and Gulfstream IV aircraft that can whisk passengers away on sectors approaching the the approaching sectors on away passengers passengers away on sectors approaching the 2,700nm-mark in short order, as Cole explains. Cole as order, short in 2,700nm-mark 2,700nm-mark in short order, as Cole explains. “It gives you greater speed and similar range range similar and speed greater you gives “It “It gives you greater speed and similar range capabilities to more expensive airplanes, which which airplanes, expensive more to capabilities capabilities to more expensive airplanes, which makes it a very efficient charter option. For the the For option. charter efficient very a it makes makes it a very efficient charter option. For the

JACK ATLEY JACK who people for that’s and sits, it which in niche niche in which it sits, and that’s for people who ATLEY JACK appreciate a sports car of an airplane, and for a a for and airplane, an of car sports a appreciate appreciate a sports car of an airplane, and for a very fast airplane it’s a very efficient machine… efficient very a it’s airplane fast very very fast airplane it’s a very efficient machine… The cabin is large and well-equipped. It’s also very very also It’s well-equipped. and large is cabin The 40 hours two in Melbourne — Perth done we’ve we’ve done Perth — Melbourne in two hours 40 The cabin is large and well-equipped. It’s also very comfortable and very quiet to travel in. travel to quiet very and comfortable and airplane; fast a certainly it’s so [minutes], [minutes], so it’s certainly a fast airplane; and comfortable and very quiet to travel in. Essendon to Fiji is four hours’ flight time, so it’s it’s so time, flight hours’ four is Fiji to Essendon Essendon to Fiji is four hours’ flight time, so it’s LORNE COLE, JETCITY COLE, LORNE We’ve sectors. longer those on airlines than faster faster than airlines on those longer sectors. We’ve LORNE COLE, JETCITY also done Brisbane to Melbourne in an hour and and hour an in Melbourne to Brisbane done also also done Brisbane to Melbourne in an hour and 45 [minutes], while we can do an Essendon — — Essendon an do can we while [minutes], 45 45 [minutes], while we can do an Essendon — Citation X is capable of getting airborne at an MTOW of 36,100lb. He He 36,100lb. of MTOW an at airborne getting of capable is X Citation the generally that’s and [minutes], 40 hours two in sector Auckland Auckland sector in two hours 40 [minutes], and that’s generally the Citation X is capable of getting airborne at an MTOW of 36,100lb. He adds that its “central nervous system” is provided by a very intuitive intuitive very a by provided is system” nervous “central its that adds although take, or give NZ, in anywhere to Essendon from time flight flight time from Essendon to anywhere in NZ, give or take, although adds that its “central nervous system” is provided by a very intuitive Honeywell Primus 2000 avionics suite, consisting of a combination combination a of consisting suite, avionics 2000 Primus Honeywell and hours two about in once Queenstown to Essendon fly did we we did fly Essendon to Queenstown once in about two hours and Honeywell Primus 2000 avionics suite, consisting of a combination of five Primary Flight Displays (PFD) and Multi-Function Displays Displays Multi-Function and (PFD) Displays Flight Primary five of aircraft.” quick very a it’s so minutes, 15 15 minutes, so it’s a very quick aircraft.” of five Primary Flight Displays (PFD) and Multi-Function Displays (MFD). The crew is constantly in the loop regarding all matters matters all regarding loop the in constantly is crew The (MFD). 70-80 about flying we’re so 0.90, Mach at cruise regularly “We’ll “We’ll regularly cruise at Mach 0.90, so we’re flying about 70-80 (MFD). The crew is constantly in the loop regarding all matters pertaining to engine, cabin and aircraft systems performance, plus plus performance, systems aircraft and cabin engine, to pertaining gone place…I’ve the around airliners other than faster hour an miles miles an hour faster than other airliners around the place…I’ve gone pertaining to engine, cabin and aircraft systems performance, plus critical flight, traffic and navigational data. In short, the Citation X is is X Citation the short, In data. navigational and traffic flight, critical past flew we and direction, same the in travelling 737s Boeing past past Boeing 737s travelling in the same direction, and we flew past critical flight, traffic and navigational data. In short, the Citation X is as user-friendly as a pilot could ever hope for. However, while Cole Cole while However, for. hope ever could pilot a as user-friendly as owner with designed was X Citation hour…The an miles 100 at them them at 100 miles an hour…The Citation X was designed with owner as user-friendly as a pilot could ever hope for. However, while Cole is well-versed in and happy to recite the jet’s technical systems, it’s it’s systems, technical jet’s the recite to happy and in well-versed is If drive. to car sports a expect would you like flies It mind. in pilots pilots in mind. It flies like you would expect a sports car to drive. If is well-versed in and happy to recite the jet’s technical systems, it’s the sheer joy of flying it that puts a smile on his face. his on smile a puts that it flying of joy sheer the big a in back the down sit to want you and it fly to want don’t you you don’t want to fly it and you want to sit down the back in a big the sheer joy of flying it that puts a smile on his face. “There’s a difference between something that feels just right right just feels that something between difference a “There’s - char handling the about much so care don’t you cabin, luxurious luxurious cabin, you don’t care so much about the handling char- “There’s a difference between something that feels just right and something that’s legal and can be certified,” he says, “and the the “and says, he certified,” be can and legal that’s something and you if But back. the down you’re because airplane the of acteristics acteristics of the airplane because you’re down the back. But if you and something that’s legal and can be certified,” he says, “and the Citation X strikes just the right balance. It’s exactly how you would would you how exactly It’s balance. right the just strikes X Citation has airplane this and sweet, feel to it want you it, fly you and it, own own it, and you fly it, you want it to feel sweet, and this airplane has Citation X strikes just the right balance. It’s exactly how you would  airplane.” ideal an describe says. CEO company the spot,” sweet that that sweet spot,” the company CEO says. describe an ideal airplane.” 

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