Air Vehicle: Does Citation X’s speed really make a difference?

“Does the speedof the Citation X really make a material difference? Yes! The Citation X was first delivered in the end of1996 and quickly became NetJet’s best selling aircraft. This is true due to thecombination of cabin comfort, speed, ease or maintenance, operating economicsand dispatch reliability. Initially with any technologically advancedaircraft, there were some issues that had to be addressed and overcome.However, since the initial series of issues have been resolved and with anupgrade to the gross weight in 2002, the Citation X has become one of the mostsuccessful new aircraft introductions in recent aviation history. Winner of the prestigious Collier Trophy foradvancing aviation, the Citation X is a leading alternative to any mid-sized,super mid-sized or large cabin buyer. For the midsized buyer, the Citation Xoffers a sizable cabin and baggage combination. The double club configurationoffers 8 comfortable captains chairs with a galley and good sized lavatory. Thebaggage compartment is 72 cubic feet, pressurized and heated. The range is asgood as or better than any other competitor in its class. For the super mid-sized or large cabin buyer, theCitation X offers unmatched speed and competitive operating economics. TheCitation X has set many speed records with its .92 mach top speed. Though thespeed and technological advancements get the “accolades”, Cessna is just aslikely to sell an aircraft because of their product support. When you speakwith operators, especially the early serial number operators, they consistentlyapplaud Cessna for the responsiveness. When a Citation X beats out a competitorwith a larger cabin, the “X” factor is usually the intangibles such as thesmaller ramp presence, customer support, speed, and dispatch reliability. Does the speed of the Citation X really make amaterial difference? Yes When compared with the F2000, the Citation X’slong range cruise is 60 miles per hour faster which translates into a crosscountry savings of 30-40 minutes. Though the Citation X burns more fuel perhour, the specific fuel for the trip will be similar due to the time savings.If you complete this trip on a regular basis, you could reduce your annualprivate jet utilization by 50 -100 hours per year. Savings over othercomparable aircraft like the Hawker 800XP or Gulfstream 200 would be even greater. In the most important category, safety, theCitation X has one of the best records in all of business aviation. Accordingto Robert Breiling Associates Inc 2004 Annual Turbine Aircraft Accident Review,the world wide Citation X fleet had never been in an accident. This is a creditto the aircraft’s design, the pilots who fly the Citation X, and the trainingand support available.” -Blogged by AirVehicle