Even before it received FAA type certification, Cessna's New Citation X, now known as the Citation X+, had claimed the title of the world's fastest civilian aircraft. After receiving certification in June, the aircraft has continued its record-setting ways with a number of US city-to-city speed records.
Having supplanted the Gulfstream G650 as the world's fastest certified civilian jet with its maximum speed of Mach 0.935 (compared to the G650's Mach 0.925), the Citation X+ is now rewriting several speed records for an aircraft in its 12,000 to 16,000 kg (26,455 to 35,274 lb) weight class over a recognized course.
Over a two-day period, a Citation X+ started by making the 2,303 km (1,431 mi) journey from Wichita Mid-Continent Airport (KICT) to King County International Airport (KBFI) outside Seattle in 2 hours, 58 minutes at an average ground speed of 419.7 kts (777 km/h, 483 mph) before flying the 4,378 km (2,720 mi) from Seattle to Opa-Locka Executive Airport (KOPF) near Miami in 4 hours, 52 minutes at an average speed of 486.2 kts (900 km/h, 560 mph).
The aircraft then reversed course, flying back to Seattle in 5 hours, 13 minutes at an average speed of 453.1 kts (839 km/h, 521 mph) before returning to its original location in Wichita in 2 hours, 22 minutes at an average speed of 526.4 kts (975 km/h, 606 mph). Overall, the aircraft averaged a maximum speed of Mach 0.916 over the two-day period.
The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) certified the four speed records, which saw the aircraft loaded with the required two member crew, four passengers and luggage to simulate a typical customer flight.
Source: Textron
