What are the Cessna Citation Longitude's specs and features?
The Cessna Citation Longitude (Model 700) is a super-midsize business jet with two 7,665-lbf Honeywell HTF7700L turbofans, a 3,500-nm maximum range, 483-KTAS maximum cruise speed and a 45,000-ft ceiling. Key features include Garmin G5000 avionics, autothrottles, a flat-floor cabin, low cabin altitude and seating for up to 12 passengers.
For our Aviation & Real-World Flying reference, these are manufacturer headline figures. An aircraft's equipped weight, cabin layout and installed options can alter payload and operating performance, while its approved Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) remains the controlling source.
What are the Citation Longitude's key specifications?
The Longitude combines intercontinental-class cabin features with the size and operating profile of a super-midsize business jet.
| Specification | Published figure |
|---|---|
| Aircraft designation | Cessna Model 700 Citation Longitude |
| Type | Super-midsize, two-pilot business jet |
| Engines | Two Honeywell HTF7700L turbofans |
| Rated thrust | 7,665 lbf per engine |
| Maximum cruise speed | 483 KTAS |
| Maximum operating Mach | Mach 0.84 |
| Maximum range | 3,500 nm (6,482 km) |
| Maximum operating altitude | 45,000 ft (13,716 m) |
| Maximum take-off weight | 39,500 lb (17,917 kg) |
| Full-fuel payload | Approximately 1,600 lb (726 kg) |
| Published take-off field length | 4,810 ft (1,466 m) |
| Published landing distance | 3,170 ft (966 m) |
| Maximum passenger capacity | Up to 12, depending on interior configuration |
| Overall length | 73 ft 2 in (22.30 m) |
| Wingspan | 68 ft 11 in (21.01 m) |
| Overall height | 19 ft 5 in (5.92 m) |
| Cabin dimensions | 25 ft 2 in long, 6 ft high and 6 ft 5 in wide |
| Baggage capacity | Approximately 112 cu ft (3.17 m³) |
Which cockpit and cabin features stand out?
The Longitude's main features are a highly automated Garmin flight deck, a quiet stand-up cabin and pressurisation designed to reduce fatigue on longer sectors.
Garmin G5000 flight deck
The cockpit uses the Garmin G5000 integrated avionics suite with three 14-inch displays and four touch-screen control panels. Navigation, flight planning, engine indications, weather, terrain, traffic and synthetic-vision functions are brought together in one system.
Full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) manages both engines, while integrated autothrottles reduce workload during climbs, cruise and approaches. Exact software, communications equipment and optional vision systems can differ between individual airframes.
Flat-floor passenger cabin
The six-foot-high, flat-floor cabin allows most passengers to stand upright and move between seats without stepping into a dropped aisle. Eight-seat double-club arrangements are common, although approved configurations can accommodate up to 12 passengers.
- Low cabin altitude: approximately 5,950 ft when the aircraft is flying at 45,000 ft.
- In-flight baggage access: the large rear baggage compartment can be reached from the cabin.
- Long-sector amenities: installations can include a forward galley, enclosed aft lavatory, berthable seats, cabin management and connectivity equipment.
- Trailing-link main landing gear: this helps absorb firm touchdowns and improves passenger comfort during normal landings.
How far can the Citation Longitude really fly?
The quoted 3,500-nm range is a maximum planning benchmark, not a guaranteed range with every seat occupied. It assumes prescribed reserves, a favourable aircraft configuration and a relatively light payload.
Payload is the constraint people often miss. Twelve passengers weighing 200 lb each total 2,400 lb before baggage, already exceeding the published 1,600-lb full-fuel payload. Carrying that many people therefore requires less fuel, a shorter route or a fuel stop.
Headwinds, air-traffic routing, temperature, cruise speed, alternate requirements and the aircraft's actual basic operating weight also change the result. Dispatch planning must use the individual aircraft's AFM data and legal fuel reserves rather than subtracting the route distance from 3,500 nm.
Is 483 knots indicated or true airspeed?
The 483-knot figure is true airspeed, expressed as KTAS, and is not the indicated airspeed shown on the primary speed tape at cruise altitude. The indicated value will be substantially lower in the thin air of the upper flight levels.
A mistake we see frequently in flight simulation is trying to make the indicated-speed tape read 483 knots. Use the aircraft's TAS readout or flight-management data instead, and respect the Mach 0.84 operating limit; normal economy or long-range cruise will also be slower than the maximum-cruise headline.
How much runway does a Citation Longitude need?
The published 4,810-ft take-off and 3,170-ft landing figures are standard-condition comparison numbers, not universal minimum runway lengths. Real requirements change with weight, pressure altitude, temperature, wind, runway gradient, obstacles, surface condition and regulatory safety factors.
A hot, high or contaminated runway can require considerably more distance. Pilots and dispatchers calculate the required field length for each flight from approved performance data; using the brochure figure alone is unsafe and can produce unrealistic simulator planning.
Can the Citation Longitude be flown by one pilot?
No. The Citation Longitude is certified with a minimum crew of two pilots, despite its extensive automation. This separates it operationally from smaller Citation models designed or approved for single-pilot operation.
Where does the Longitude fit in the Citation family?
The Longitude occupies the super-midsize end of the Citation range, with a much larger cabin, greater weight and longer reach than the company's light jets. Our comparison of Cessna aircraft roles and sizes places it within the wider product family.
For historical context, the Citation II's specifications and operating profile show how far the light-jet line developed before the Longitude. At the other end of the market, our Citation Mustang and VLJ comparison covers the smaller, shorter-range alternative.