Cessna has flown the production version of its updated Sovereign mid-sized business jet and, as expected, everything went well. The two and a half hour flight tested all the systems, including the new G5000 avionics suite that includes autothrottles. “The aircraft handling characteristics and performance were exceptional, just as we had anticipated after flying more than 1,300 hours in three test flight articles. The Garmin G5000 avionics system provides a sense of control and situational awareness that any pilot will appreciate,” said Matt Freund, Cessna production flight test pilot.
The new Sovereign has winglets to boost climb and short-field performance. Range is also up about 150 nm to about 3,000 nm. It will climb directly to 45,000 feet and top speed is 458 knots. First deliveries are planned for later this year.
