Cessna Citation X

There was much excitement in the aviation community when Cessna first announced its goals for the Citation X – in short, to completely outdo the competing private jets. Cessna exceeded everyone’s expectations with the Citation X – it was the fastest, most comfortable, and most efficient jet on the market. It was even awarded the prestigious Collier Trophy in its debut year, in honor of the advances it had made in aviation and aerospace technology.

The Citation X truly is the fastest mid-sized business jet available. It regularly cruises at .90 mach and can fly from Los Angeles to New York in less than six hours, or from Pittsburg to San Diego in four hours flat.

Getting the Citation X to cruise at .90 Mach was no small feat. Aerospace engineers spent months analyzing the jet’s aerodynamic structure with computational fluid dynamics computer technology. The end result, as already stated, was unequalled speed. It stands to reason that since Cessna spent so much effort on fine-tuning the aerodynamic structure of the jet, little attention would be given to fuel efficiency. But, since Cessna’s objective is to make high-performing, fuel-efficient business jets, the Citation X has a fuel flow of 336 gallons per hour. At the time of its debut, not only was it the fastest private jet, it was also the most fuel-efficient mid-sized business jet on the market.

In case the bragging rights that come with owning the fastest mid-sized business jet aren’t enough, consider its cabin. The cabin stretches to a length of 23.9 feet and a width of 5.5 feet (the most spacious cabin at that point in the Citation series). The ceiling is 5.7 feet high. Standard seating configurations include eight “executive” seats (extra-large, extra comfortable seats with full reclining capacity) and a fully equipped galley. A bathroom, large enough to double as a dressing room, is located at the rear of the private jet and a closet, large enough to store garment bags, is within reach.

The Citation X’s baggage storage compartment is heated and pressurized so that belongings won’t be damaged in flight. The compartment holds a total of 82 cubic feet, or roughly 770 pounds of luggage.

One last feature of the Citation X that is usually not discussed when comparing private jets is its external visual appeal. The sleek design, featuring clean lines, looks fast, even when it is just sitting in a hangar. The bragging rights that come with it aren’t so bad, either — .90 Mach isn’t a cruise speed that private jets normally reach.

The Citation X truly merits all of the excitement and hype it has garnered. It is a versatile jet that can efficiently handle both short trips and international flights, and is unmatched in speed, efficiency and reliability. It isn’t without good reason that Cessna calls the Citation X the “fastest, most efficient business jet ever built.”