Cessna is an American company that has made some of the most important contributions in the world of private jets. Some of their jets have proven to be the favorites of people chartering private jets. Perhaps one of their best creations, the Cessna Citation X is the largest aircraft in the Citation family of aircraft. What is even more interesting is the fact that it is the third fastest business jet ever and the fastest one that you can get your hands on. Envisioned primarily as a long-range aircraft perfect for flying over the Atlantic Ocean, for example, the Cessna Citation X can get you to your destination as fast as humanly possible.
History
The speed of the Citation X has its roots in the fact that Cessnas were typically thought to be much slower aircraft than the prime competitor in the market, the Learjet Company. The perception was at its height in the 70s and the 80s when the Cessnas were being turned down due to being perceived as boring. In order to reverse this image on its head, the executives at Cessna decided to create an aircraft that would leave all the Learjets in the dust. First announced in 1990, the development of the prototype took about 3 years to complete. By 1993, the prototype had already performed its maiden flight and the release date was slated for 1995.
However, many certification issues got in the way of the Citation X being released to the public. These are evidence of the fact that Cessna was truly trying to create an aircraft that would push the very limits of what was thought to be possible in terms of speed. The first delivery would go out in 1996. Once released, the true power of this aircraft was realized. Famous golfer Arnold Palmer was the first ever Citation X customer and set a speed record of 876 km/h on his own aircraft.
The Citation X+
In 2010, Cessna decided that the aircraft which was nearly one and half decades old at that point deserved a refresh. The engines were upgraded in order to deliver even more. There was also a focus on avionics as the heads-up display was added for the first time in this particular model. The engine upgrades also allowed the Citation X+ to have a higher payload capacity as well. The dimensions of the aircraft were also increased from all sides, with increases in height, length, and the wingspan.
Specifications
The Citation X can be considered to be an orgy of insane numbers. It has the all-powerful Allixon AE 300 7A engines, allowing it to be faster than most other business jets by about 100 km/h. The fuselage has been taken directly from the previous Citation models, but the cabin space in actuality is much bigger than its predecessor. The cabin height comes in at a very healthy 5 feet and 7 inches with the cabin width being slightly underwhelming at 5 feet and 5 inches. It can carry 8 passengers with a crew of 2 people required to fly the aircraft in the normal configuration which can be increased to a passenger capacity of 12. The range is extremely good for an aircraft of its size at 3125 nautical miles. Coming to the exterior of the aircraft, the height is 19 feet and 3 inches. However, the number that truly stands out is the massive wingspan of this particular jet. At nearly 70 feet, the wingspan is one of the largest in its class, allowing it to hit its amazing top speed of Mach 0.92.
Citation X Charter
When it comes to private jet charter, there is no aircraft more requested in the super-midsize class than the Citation X. The allure of it being the fastest business jet in the world attracts a lot of people who want to experience a new level of speed. In terms of the hourly private jet charter rate, you can expect to pay anything from $6,500 to $8000 depending on the model of the aircraft. Considering that this cost is going to be divided amongst all the passengers flying in the jet, the charter cost for the Citation X is extremely competitive. If you want to buy the aircraft, then you will need to burn a $24 million sized hole in your pocket (although production has ended for this particular aircraft).
There are many other options that you can exercise as well. The most popular is fractional ownership of a jet. Operators like NetJets pioneered this particular mode of ownership. Essentially, you own part of a holding company which in turn owns the aircraft in which you have a fraction of ownership. So, if you own 1/8th of that company, you own the same fraction of the jet as well. The entry cost is obviously much cheaper with the maintenance costs are also divided up amongst the owners. The greater your slice of the ownership pie is, the more flying hours you get with the jet. If you want to charter a Citation X, scroll to the bottom of the page and place a jet charter request with us.
The Citation X was envisioned as a private jet aircraft that would change the perception of Cessna as a company. Today, the company that they were competing with, Learjet, does not exist anymore. However, Cessna’s jets still rule the sky to this day, with the Citation X being one of the best in the entire lineup. After nearly 22 years of production and 338 total deliveries being made out to customers, the production of this legendary aircraft was stopped in 2018, bringing an end to a great era in the history of Cessna as a company.
No Comments