The first Cessna Citation Longitude jet rolled out of the hangar in Wichita on Tuesday. Production of the new clean-sheet design super-midsize business jet has benefited from new manufacturing systems, the company said. “We’re incorporating a number of new and innovative fabrication and assembly techniques that will improve processes, reduce the number of parts and provide excellent quality and precision that will aid in the overall maintainability of the aircraft,” said Ron Draper, senior vice president, Integrated Supply Chain. “We are able to move more quickly from concept to delivery with a high-quality product.”
This aircraft will join the company’s demonstration fleet this summer and will travel the world to demonstrate the Longitude’s performance and interior to customers. The first Longitude flew in October 2016 and to date, the flight test program’s four aircraft have accumulated more than 550 hours. A fifth aircraft will join the flight test program this summer. The Longitude is expected to achieve certification and start deliveries by the end of the year, the company said.
