Cessna Delivers 8,000th Citation Business Jet To Scotts Miracle-Gro
Representatives from Cessna parent company Textron Aviation and Scotts Miracle-Gro recently marked the 8,000th delivery of a Cessna Citation business jet at Textron’s headquarters in Wichita. The milestone delivery sent a new Citation Longitude to Scotts Miracle-Gro, marketer of lawn care, gardening, hydroponics, and pest and weed control products from brands such as Scotts, Miracle-Gro, Ortho, Roundup, and Tomcat. The Longitude is the fifth Cessna Citation in Scotts Miracle-Gro’s fleet, and Scotts reports that its CEO Jim Hagedorn, a former U.S. Air Force F-16 pilot, is himself the owner of a Cessna Citation CJ4.
“The Citation is one of the most functional and reliable brands in the general aviation industry and I, along with the members of our flight department, congratulate Textron Aviation on the delivery of its 8,000 Citation aircraft," says Hagedorn.
Citation History
The Citation lineup also includes the CJ3+, CJ4 Gen2, Latitude, M2 Gen2, and XLS Gen2. The flagship 12-passenger super-midsized Longitude model boasts the most legroom in its class in a standard double-club configuration. Cessna says Citations are well-known for combining comfort, reliability, and efficiency with advanced technology and class-leading performance.
Cessna first flew a Citation jet in 1969 and made its first Citation customer delivery in 1972. During the Citation family’s 50-plus-year history, more than 30 Citation models have received type certification. Textron claims Citation jets topped all other business jets in terms of annual delivery volume for 40 years including stretches from 1972 to 1974, 1979 to 1981, 1984 to 2012, and 2016 to 2020. In 2020, Textron delivered the 250th Citation M2. In 2021, it delivered the 600th Citation CJ3-series aircraft.
“With more than 41 million flight hours across the globe, our customers continue to make Citation jets their aircraft of choice,” says Textron Aviation President and CEO Ron Draper.
The Citation Longitude
The clean-sheet Longitude first flew in 2016. It received its Federal Aviation Administration certification in September 2020 after what Textron claims was its most vigorous flight, structural, and component testing ever on a Citation jet. With four passengers onboard, the jet has a 3,500-nautical-mile (6,482-kilometer) flight range. It has a maximum cruise speed of 483 ktas (895 km/h), a 1,600-pound (726-kilogram) fuel payload, and a 1,115-lb (506-kg) baggage capacity. The jet is powered by twin Honeywell HTF7700L engines.
The Longitude’s flat-floor, 6-foot (1.82-meter) cabin includes a built-in wireless cabin management system, and puts to use exclusive soundproofing methods that allow for sound levels nearly twice as quiet as the nearest competitor. Cabin customization options include an aft couch and side-facing seat. The jet’s cockpit features a Garmin G5000 flight deck with four touchscreen controllers and three high-resolution LCD displays.
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Source: Textron Aviation