Cessna Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, today announced the Citation Latitude will enter the market with final range and runway performance specifications that exceed previous projections. The improved specifications will be part of the aircraft's imminent U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification. The aircraft is making its European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) debut this week at Geneva's Palexpo static display.

With the full flight test program now complete, the aircraft performance has yielded further improvements in aircraft range and runway performance: 5,278 kilometers (2,850 nautical miles) at long-range cruise, an increase of 277 kilometers (150 nautical miles), and improved takeoff distance of 1,091 meters (3,580 feet) compared to the previously projected 1,116 meters (3,660 feet). Performance specifications at certification will also reflect the high-speed cruise range of 5,000 km (2,700 nautical miles).

“The new Citation Latitude has been a performance winner from day one – meeting or exceeding every milestone in the certification effort and winning the attention of customers with its expansive, large cabin environment and amenities,” said Scott Ernest, president and CEO. “Customers also appreciate the Latitude's midsize acquisition price and up to 20 percent lower operating costs than competing aircraft.”

The flight test program for the Latitude began with its first flight in February 2014. Since then, the program has grown to include four test articles that have flown 690 flights and amassed 1,700 flight hours, validating the maturity of the Garmin G5000 avionics system and features such as the standard auto-throttles, cabin cooling system and new pressurization system providing a 1,813-meter (5,950-foot) cabin altitude at the aircraft's maximum operating altitude of 13,716 meters (45,000 feet).