LAS VEGAS, Oct 22, 2013 – Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, today announced a significant addition to the eagerly anticipated Citation Latitude mid-size business jet. The cockpit of the seven- to nine-passenger jet will come equipped with auto-throttles as part of the Garmin G5000 avionics package.
The Citation Latitude mock-up is on display throughout the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Business and Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Las Vegas this week. The fuselage mock-up features an added informational gallery in the aft portion of the cabin, showing program highlights and marking the aircraft’s progression towards its anticipated first prototype flight in the first quarter of 2014.
Terry Shriner, Cessna business leader for the Latitude, said: “Auto-throttles are a valuable addition to the already impressive flight deck on the Latitude. Because the pilot no longer has to manually control the engines, auto-throttles represent a big leap ahead in convenience and ease of operations for business jet operators in the mid-size category.”
A common feature on larger aircraft, the addition of auto-throttles to the Latitude flight deck will play a role in reducing pilot workload. The Garmin G5000 avionics keep the most important flight information available at the pilot’s fingertips using touch screen displays while the auto-throttle simultaneously controls engine power and adheres to flight parameters using the system’s auto-pilot feature.
Michael Thacker, Cessna senior vice president of Engineering, says: “The Latitude began as an exciting concept, and it just keeps getting better. We have increased the aircraft’s range by 500 miles, boosted the cabin entertainment capabilities, improved cabin volume, and now we are bringing auto-throttles to the mid-size category. You cannot find an aircraft in this category that tops the Latitude in terms of operational ease, cabin comfort and performance.”
About Cessna
Cessna is the world’s leading general aviation company. Since its inception in 1927, Cessna has designed, produced and delivered nearly 200,000 airplanes around the globe. This includes 6,500 Citation business jets, making it the largest fleet of business jets in the world. Today, Cessna has two principal lines of business: aircraft sales and aftermarket services. Aircraft sales include Citation business jets, Caravan single-engine utility turboprops, single-engine piston aircraft and lift solutions by CitationAir. Aftermarket services include parts, maintenance, inspection and repair services. In 2012, Cessna delivered 571 aircraft, including 181 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of $3.111 billion. More information about Cessna Aircraft Company is available at cessna.com.
About Textron
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. More information is available at textron.com.