Columbus, Ohio, January 25, 2016 ‑ NetJets, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company, and Cessna Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, today announced placement of the first of two demonstrator Cessna Citation Latitude aircraft into the NetJets Signature Series fleet. This aircraft will be positioned throughout the United States and will be used to showcase the Citation Latitude’s class-leading performance, size and comfort to NetJets Owners ahead of its fractional aircraft deliveries beginning in June. NetJets plans to place a second demonstrator aircraft in Europe later this year.
“As the newest aircraft in the NetJets Signature Series, the Citation Latitude will be a great addition to our fleet of the world’s best aircraft,” said Pat Gallagher, NetJets Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We are excited to demonstrate this exceptional midsize business jet to our Owners and their guests, and build excitement for its upcoming availability early this summer.”
“Adding the Citation Latitude to NetJets’ fleet builds on our more than 20-year relationship of working together to offer the best travel experiences for their Owners. We know that NetJets Owners and guests will appreciate trans-continental range and the flexibility to operate at smaller airports while traveling in the most comfortable cabin in its class,” said Scott Ernest, President and CEO, Textron Aviation. “NetJets is an ideal partner to demonstrate the Latitude’s innovation in terms of performance and value proposition that allows operators to increase productivity and profitability. The Latitude has entered the market as the clear leader in this segment where our customers have said they want the combination of large cabin comfort at a midsize cost of ownership.”
In 2012, NetJets placed an order for up to 150 Cessna Citation Latitudes, including 25 firm orders and options for 125 more. In addition to the Latitude’s class-leading performance capabilities and cabin comfort, NetJets aircraft will include several custom enhancements such as an expanded refreshment center with a hot beverage maker and the NetJets 360 Connectivity package that includes Wi-Fi, Text & Talk and the NetJets In-Flight Entertainment System.
With a maximum range of 2,850 nautical miles, the Citation Latitude can fly non-stop from key U.S. cities such as New York to Los Angeles and Chicago to San Francisco. With a flat floor and six feet of cabin height, the Latitude affords the most open, spacious, bright and refined cabin environment in the midsize category. Improving cabin comfort for passengers and crew alike, the Latitude features a new cabin cooling system and a new pressurization system. The systems provide a 5,950-foot cabin altitude when the aircraft is at its maximum operating altitude of 45,000 feet, allowing Owners to arrive at their destinations feeling more refreshed.
