Aircraft Highlight: Cessna Citation X and Ten

If you have a need to get there fast, your first choice has probably always been Cessna’s Citation X. Introduced in 1996 with a mission to shed the Citation brand’s then reputation of being a “slow” airplane, the Citation X (pronounced “ten”), shattered expectations with a fast, long-range business jet. With the retirement of the Concord, the X takes its place as the fastest civilian aircraft in the world. With a top cruise speed at Mach .92 (over 600 mph or .92 times the speed of sound), the world below you suddenly becomes a lot smaller. Range with full fuel tanks is about 3500 statute miles and the X can land on a 5000 ft runway. Very impressive stats to say the least. If you have a need to get from coast to coast in a hurry, this is the jet.

At the 2010 National Business Aviation Association conference in Atlanta, Cessna introduced the much anticipated follow up to the X. Losing the confusing Roman numeral and now called the Citation TEN. The update to the aircraft is quite impressive. According to Jack Pelton, CEO of Cessna Aircraft, it wasn’t enough to just maintain the original X’s impressive performance, but to exceed it. The new aircraft has upgraded Rolls Royce engines and performance enhancing winglets at the tips of the wings. Garmin’s new G5000 avionics package debuts in the Citation TEN featuring all of the next generation navigation equipment.

The interior of the Ten has been completely restyled and the fuselage has been stretched to increase leg room in the passenger cabin. The new jet also features a cabin management system for the passengers. This allows each passenger to tailor their entertainment preferences at each individual seat. Mom can listen to the iPod, Dad can watch the game, and the kids can each watch individual movies, all at the same time!

It will be a little while before we see the new TEN in our charter fleets, but whether flying on the original Citation X, or eventually the newer Citation TEN, these aircraft will get you there faster and more comfortably than anything else in any aircraft class.

If you have specific questions about planning a charter flight, just a general private aviation question, or would like to share your experiences on this topic, please feel free to contact me directly using this form or posting a comment below.