Story ID: 
Sovereign makes its debut at NBAA '02
By: Chad Trautvetter
Caption: “To date, all major milestones have been completed on or ahead of schedule,” noted Cessna Citation Sovereign senior product director Brad Thress.
Word Count: 215
“To date, all major milestones have been completed on or ahead of schedule,” noted Cessna Citation Sovereign senior product director Brad Thress. “This week’s NBAA Convention is the Sovereign’s first public appearance, and we are proud to show it with a completed interior and exterior.”So far, two Sovereign flight-test airplanes–one prototype and S/N 001, a production version–have logged nearly 220 hr on about 120 flights. The super-midsize Citation, which was launched at NBAA ’98, is expected to receive FAA approval late next year, with deliveries to begin in early 2004. First flight of the prototype was in February, and S/N 001 took its maiden flight in June.Recent Sovereign milestones include FAA and CAA certification of the twinjet’s dual-channel Fadec-controlled Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306C engine; completion of three lifetimes of cyclic fatigue testing (36,000 cycles) on one of two Sovereign structural-test articles; stall development and stability control work on the flying prototype; and engine installation on S/N 002, which is to join the flight-test program this fall.Performance and specifications of the $12.695 million Sovereign include a 2,696-nm NBAA IFR range; 446-kt maximum cruise speed; 47,000-ft ceiling; 3,694-ft balanced field length (ISA, sl); 30,000-lb mtow; seating for 8 to 11 passengers; and a Honeywell Primus Epic avionics suite with four 8- by 10-in. liquid-crystal displays.