Citation Latitude first flight scheduled for Q1 2014

Cessna Citation Latitude flying

Cessna says that the prototype of the Citation Latitude will make its maiden flight in the first quarter of next year.

Cessna Citation Latitude flying

Cessna’s Citation Latitude prototype will make its first flight in the first quarter of 2014. An enhanced Citation Latitude mock-up will be on display throughout the National Business Aviation Association convention in Las Vegas this week.

The wing and fuselage are nearly complete and the aircraft will include Garmin G5000 avionics. The manufacturer has also increased the aircraft’s range by 500 miles and improved the cabin volume. The Citation Latitude is also the first Cessna aircraft will have an electronically-operated door.

“We have put this electric door through an incredibly challenging set of tests, and cycled the model thousands of times,” says Terry Shriner, Cessna business leader for the Latitude. “This is a first for Cessna, and another item in the list of reasons the Latitude will set a new standard for the mid-size category of business jets.”

“The Latitude began as an exciting concept, and it just keeps getting better,” says Michael Thacker, senior vice president of Engineering at Cessna. “The Latitude has turned customer input into aviation reality.”