For about a decade or so, Cessna proudly produced the world's fastest civilian jet, the Citation X. Apparently the engineers at Cessna weren't too happy when the Gulfstream G650 took that title a few years back, because they've been hard at work on an updated Citation X. Test pilots have completed the first flight of the plane, now known as the Citation Ten.
The new business jet is a little bigger, flies a bit further, carries a little more and runs a bit more efficiently than the Citation X. And according to Cessna's preliminary specs, it can cruise a little bit faster as well. The Citation X's official max cruise speed at altitude was 525 KTAS (604 MPH), while the Ten is expected to peg its max cruise at 527 KTAS.
Of course the big question is whether it will reclaim the fastest jet title from Gulfstream.
The truth is, the cruise speeds of both aircraft are very close, within a handful of knots. And most of the time these jets will be cruising at similar speeds, and well below their top speeds because it takes a lot of fuel to get those last few knots. Also, on transcontinental trips, or any flight at the edge of an airplane's range, it's better to fly a bit more slowly so you don't have to stop for fuel. Your flight is faster by flying slower.
That being said, there's plenty of pride, not to mention marketing muscle, in being able to say you produce the world's fastest civilian jet. To claim the title pilots must make a level flight, without descending. This is usually done at the higher cruise altiudes.
The Citation X first flew in 1993 (Arnold Palmer got the first one, in 1996); its maximum speed is Mach 0.92. The use of a Mach speed rather than knots is common for jets for a range of reasons, but the important bit is Gulfstream achieved Mach 0.925 with its G650 a few years back. That's only about three knots faster, but it counts.
Cessna is claiming the new Citation Ten will be able to cruise a few knots faster thanks to the new design and new engines. That should translate to a handful of knots at top speed as well. But we're guessing Cessna wants to be careful not to say too much until the test pilots have had a chance to prove the numbers in flight testing.
Of course the ultra-fast vaporplane (aka supersonic business jet) is still a few years away.
Photo: Cessna
