Cessna Aircraft Company released that the Citation Ten prototype made its first flight January 17th. The flight lasted more than two hours and included tests of stability and control, handling qualities, functional operations including the autopilot and autothrottle system, engine operability and avionics before landing at Wichita, Kan. Mid-Continent Airport (ICT) where Cessna’s main manufacturing facility is located. Federal Aviation Administration type certification is on track for mid-2013 with first aircraft deliveries planned for the second half of 2013.
The Ten is a mid-size aircraft with updated design and performance, enabling it to get to altitude faster and travel farther than the Citation X (Model 750). Two Rolls-Royce AE 3007C2 engines will take a 36,600 pound (16,601 kilogram) MTOW Citation Ten off the ground in 5,150 feet (1,569 meters) and give the aircraft a maximum cruise speed of 527 knots an hour (977 kilometers) and a certified ceiling of 51,000 feet (15,545 meters).
