Story ID: 379 Latitude at Biggin Hill IS
Latitude Calls At BGAD, Biggin Hill
By: Ian Sheppard
Caption: Cessna’s new Citation Latitude took journalists on a flight over East Anglia and back into Biggin Hill.
Word Count: 503
Arriving at the BGAD event at London Biggin Hill Airport by car was somewhat of a letdown–especially as it was Battle of Britain Day, 75 years since Spitfires famously fought off the Nazi hordes. Our plan to fly in from nearby Redhill Aerodrome and join a tour of Biggin Hill facilities with the International Federation of Flying Rotarians had been kyboshed by early morning fog. Our flight would have been in a 1969 1-passenger Cessna 150, worth about £12,000 ($16,300).

What started badly got rapidly better as Cessna reps at Biggin Hill for the event suggested a media flight in the new $16.3 million, nine-passenger Citation Latitude. This aircraft was at the start of a three-week European tour.

The most memorable thing about accelerating along Runway 21 at Biggin Hill was that it was rapid–aircraft are encouraged to hook left immeidately after liftoff to avoid Biggin Hill town. But even more memorable was that that our champagne glasses toppled over–though partly restrained by the cup-holders. With an executive interior including quality leather and veneered wood, there were four journalists having a guilt trip (our man from the Financial Times managed to hang on to his glass).

We scooted along under Heathrow ATC for a few minutes before being allowed to head up to East Anglia (where there were numerous Battle of Britain airfields); the Latitude is capable of climbing to FL420 in 26 minutes and we pretty much did that after the initial delay. Service ceiling is FL450 and the cabin altitude is kept as low as 5,950 ft. The aircraft has a range at mtow of 2,850 nm.

It is a very capable aircraft, salesman Tom Perry said, while pointing out the type received FAA certification in June and entered service in August. Four had been delivered as of late October. He said EASA certification was anticipated by the end of 2015, so first deliveries to European customers could commence in early 2016.

Perry said the Latitude is unique in the Cessna product line, having a flat floor and six-foot ceiling. He added the company expects to “take the midsize market by storm.” The Latitude is positioned between the Citation XLS+ and the Sovereign+. (The Latitude has the same wing and PW306D1 engines as the Sovereign+, although the latter has two more seats and 300 nm more range).

The Garmin G5000 flight deck was impressive, with touchscreen controllers and a clean, simple look. Our pilots, Captain Tom Emerson and first officer Stuart Mochrie, professed to loving it. But it was the cabin that was designed to bring Citations up a notch, with the more spacious, comfortable feel–all the better to compete with Dassault’s new 5X and Embraer’s Legacy 500, which entered service in Europe in May.

But Perry was coy when answering questions about the competition, instead focusing on his own company’s aircraft and its performance, which was only too evident. Quiet and comfortable, this Citation is going be a strong contender.