From The Archives: Flying The Citation 10

The Citation 10 is capable of a Mach 0.90 cruise speed and a range in excess of 3,000 naut. mi.

David M. North, pilot and author of this report noted that the aircraft started deliveries in the summer of 1996, (this pilot report was published in the September 23, 1996 issue), and this is Cessna's largest corporate aircraft which began development in 1990. 

North wrote: "It has a supercritical design wing mounted below the pressure vessel and new Allison AE3007C turbofan engines."

The aircraft is capable of a Mach 0.90 cruise speed and a range in excess of 3,000 naut. mi.

North had the opportunity to fly the simulator and the actual aircraft, twice. The simulator experience allowed him to become familiar with the Honeywell Primus 2000 flight display.

On flying the physical jet, he was impressed with the visibility from the cockpit in the landing pattern and said "other traffic was easy to spot".

However, a warning appeared on the center multi-function display of a low hydraulic quantity. James Lapine, a Citation 10 demonstrator pilot took the precautionary decision to return to the firm's production and delivery center at Wichita MidContinent Airport, from where they took off.

On the return journey North wrote: "With the right hydraulic system inoperative, only the inboard spoilers were available. We encountered mild turbulence in the vicinity of clouds and the wing did not transmit much of the turbulence to the fuselage." North also found the engine response to the landing pattern to be "quick and positive". 

A second flight was organised to allow North a better flying experience, with the same aircraft, accompanied this time by Lee Herman, Cessna's assistant chief pilot.

Read on to discover how the second flight test went. 

If you're a subscriber you can read the full article and see all the images including the interior and aircraft specifications on page 52 of the September 23, 1996 issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology.

Enjoy unlimited access to the Complete Aviation Week Archive which has over 100 Years of Aviation Week — at your fingertips.

Every issue, every page, every article we have ever published. Your subscription includes full access to the archives, plus current Aviation Week & Space Technology articles (both digital and print packages available).