Aircraft

First flight of Cessna Citation Ten prototype a success

First flight of Cessna Citation Ten prototype a success
The Cessna Citation Ten prototype takes off for its first flight
The Cessna Citation Ten prototype takes off for its first flight
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The Cessna Citation Ten prototype takes off for its first flight
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The Cessna Citation Ten prototype takes off for its first flight
The first flight of the Cessna Citation Ten prototype
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The first flight of the Cessna Citation Ten prototype
The Citation Ten is a larger, more advanced version of Cessna's Citation X (Model 750)
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The Citation Ten is a larger, more advanced version of Cessna's Citation X (Model 750)
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What is set to be the latest addition to Cessna's Citation line of business jets made its first flight this week. The Cessna Citation Ten prototype flew for more than two hours in the skies over Cessna's main manufacturing facility at Wichita, Kansas, with the aircraft's stability and control, handling, autopilot and autothrottle systems, engine operability and avionics all put to the test. Cessna says all systems functioned as expected on the maiden flight, keeping the Citation Ten on track for FAA certification in mid-2013, with first deliveries planned for the second half of 2013.

First announced in 2010, the Citation Ten is a larger, more advanced version of Cessna's Citation X (Model 750), which became the fastest civilian aircraft in the world since the retirement of the Concorde. The Ten is a mid-size aircraft designed to deliver greater fuel efficiency, get to altitude faster and travel farther than the Citation X. It seats nine passengers and two pilots and is also 15 inches (38 cm) longer than the Citation X, which Cessna says provides extra legroom in the aircraft's forward club seating area.

The first flight of the Cessna Citation Ten prototype
The first flight of the Cessna Citation Ten prototype

The aircraft's two Rolls-Royce AE 3007C2 engines will take a Citation Ten with a Maximum Take-off Weight (MTOW) of 36,600 lbs (16,601 kg) off the ground in 5,140 ft (1,567 m) and enable a maximum cruising speed of 527 knots (976 km/h), a certified ceiling altitude of 51,000 ft (15,545 m), and a maximum range of 3,242 nautical miles (6,008 km). Cessna says this makes one-hop flights possible between cities such as New York-London, Boston-San Francisco, London-Dubai and Miami-Seattle.

The Citation Ten also marks the debut of the Garmin G5000 avionics suite that is centered around three 14-inch LCD primary and multifunction displays and four touch-screen control panels. The multifunction displays have split-screen capability, which allows continuous monitoring of engine, flight control, hydraulic and electrical systems. Garmin's SVT synthetic vision technology on the primary flight displays also provide the crew with a virtual reality view of runways, terrain, traffic and obstacles, while electronic charts with aircraft position overlay deliver dynamic situational awareness during approach.

The Citation Ten is a larger, more advanced version of Cessna's Citation X (Model 750)
The Citation Ten is a larger, more advanced version of Cessna's Citation X (Model 750)

Touch screens also extend into the passenger cabin where Cessna's proprietary Clarity cabin technology solution lets passengers access movies, moving maps and the Web on any of the touchscreen displays provided for each seat. These displays also provide connections for passengers' personal electronic devices.

"It took a significant amount of work by a large number of people to get us to this milestone today and I am happy to report that the aircraft performed exceptionally well and handling characteristics were excellent; just as predicted," said Michael Voigt, Cessna's engineering test pilot who flew the Ten prototype. "All systems functioned as expected including the Garmin G5000 avionics system. We are looking forward to a successful flight test program and FAA certification."

Here's a video from Cessna detailing the features of the Citation Ten.

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4 comments
4 comments
Flipider Comm
Why the control sticks still on Fly By Wire planes? They should have a flight control system similar to a puddle jumper with a translucent display
Slowburn
re; Robert DuBois
If you are saying that the plane should have a control yoke with fly by wire you don\'t need the ability to put that much force into the controls.
PeetEngineer
FYI, the Citation X/Ten is not fly by wire. It has good-old fashioned control cables connected to hydraulic power control units, but even if hydraulic power is lost the pilots can continue to fly the airplane. Admittedly though this is the first Citation with auto-throttle, and the engines are FADEC controlled, but flight controls are still manual, the way it should be :)
Flipider Comm
The human body stores energy in its muscles and are the engines that use this energy. Stored energy at control points would be more effective in controlling the aircraft then cables or wires from a Ram Air Turbine and other electric pumps for redundancy.
The means of contacting the the hydraulic systems could vary. But I would use the fuselage as the main medium in contacting network control points around the aircraft and use of secondary system in a detached wing\'s attempt in preventing it\'s own lethal impact on the ground.