Learn to fly the Citation Longitude in MSFS 2020: G5000 setup, take-off, autopilot modes, descent, landing and common fault fixes.
To fly the Citation Longitude in MSFS 2020, create an IFR route, initialise the Garmin G5000, start the engines, set take-off data, and use NAV with FLC or VNAV for the en-route phase. Configure early for the approach, fly the calculated V-speeds, and disconnect automation before the flare.
Before flying the Citation Longitude
The stock Cessna Citation Longitude is included only with the Premium Deluxe content for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. If it is missing from the aircraft selection screen, check your entitlement and installed content; our guide to the aircraft supplied with each MSFS 2020 edition explains the distinction.
These procedures assume a fully updated installation with the enhanced Garmin G5000 avionics. Older videos may show different touchscreen pages, incomplete VNAV behaviour or an earlier flight model.
Before loading the aircraft, assign and test these essential controls:
- Thrust axes, including an autothrottle disconnect control
- Rudder, nosewheel steering and independent toe brakes
- Flaps, landing gear, spoilers and pitch trim
- Autopilot disconnect, push-to-talk if required, and reverse thrust
Remove duplicate throttle, trim and brake bindings. A second controller or an enabled piloting assistance option can quietly move the controls against you.
How to fly a complete Citation Longitude flight
- Plan an IFR route. Choose a parking position, departure runway, high-altitude airway route, arrival, approach and destination runway. The World Map can send this plan to the aircraft, but you should still inspect every leg in the cockpit. For the planning details, use our explanation of building and checking a route with the MSFS flight planner.
- Verify the G5000 flight plan. Confirm the origin, destination, active runway, SID, STAR and approach on the touchscreen controllers. Remove route discontinuities only when you understand which two legs should connect. Also check that the first active leg is ahead of the aircraft rather than behind it.
- Start the aircraft. For a cold-and-dark departure, establish battery or external power, start the APU, configure the electrical and pneumatic systems, switch on the beacon, and start each engine with a valid bleed-air source. After both generators are online, configure the bleeds and shut down the APU when it is no longer required. The exact switch sequence is covered in our Citation Longitude cold-and-dark start procedure.
- Complete performance setup. Enter or confirm aircraft weight, fuel, cruise altitude and other available performance data. Set the displayed V-speed bugs, take-off flap setting and take-off trim. Do not copy fixed speeds from another flight: runway length, elevation, weather and aircraft weight all change the required values.
- Prepare and taxi. Set the altimeter, heading and initial cleared altitude, then confirm the flight directors and desired lateral mode. Release the parking brake and use minimum thrust; the Longitude accelerates readily at idle or low power. Test the brakes immediately and avoid steering with differential braking alone if a tiller or nosewheel axis is available.
- Take off. Confirm the correct flaps, trim, spoilers, flight controls and autothrottle status. Advance to take-off thrust, check that both engines are producing similar power, maintain the centreline and rotate at the calculated Vr. After a positive climb indication, retract the landing gear, then retract the flaps on schedule without exceeding their placarded speeds.
- Climb and cruise. Use HDG to follow an assigned heading or to intercept the route, then select NAV after the active leg is valid. FLC is normally the safest climb mode because it controls the selected airspeed with pitch. Autothrottle controls thrust when engaged; with it off, you must set and monitor thrust yourself. Select the cruise altitude before relying on altitude capture.
- Start the descent early. Review the arrival and approach before the top of descent, set a lower cleared altitude and arm VNAV if the route contains a valid vertical path. If VNAV does not provide a usable path, use FLC for a speed-controlled descent or VS for small corrections while watching airspeed closely.
- Fly the approach. Load the approach, confirm its transition and inspect the resulting legs before activating it. For an ILS, verify the frequency, inbound course and localiser source, intercept from below the glideslope, then arm APPR. Our dedicated guide explains how to capture and fly an ILS in MSFS 2020. Extend flaps and landing gear within their limits and stabilise at the calculated approach speed.
- Land and shut down. Disconnect the autopilot with enough time to trim and confirm manual control. Disconnect autothrottle before the flare unless you clearly understand its active landing mode, reduce thrust, make a small flare and touch down on the main wheels. Deploy spoilers and reverse thrust only after touchdown, brake as required, then clear the runway before changing avionics. At the stand, set the parking brake, shut down the engines with their run-stop controls, and switch off the remaining electrical equipment.
Which autopilot modes should you use?
Use NAV for route tracking, FLC for speed-controlled climbs or descents, VNAV for a valid programmed descent path, and APPR only when positioned to intercept the selected approach.
| Flight phase | Lateral mode | Vertical mode | Thrust |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial departure | HDG or NAV | FLC | Autothrottle or manual climb thrust |
| En-route climb | NAV | FLC | Autothrottle speed mode or manual |
| Cruise | NAV | ALT | Autothrottle or manual cruise thrust |
| Programmed descent | NAV | VNAV | Autothrottle or monitored manual thrust |
| ATC vectors | HDG | FLC or VS | As required for speed |
| ILS or suitable RNAV approach | APPR with LOC or GPS guidance | Glideslope or glidepath | Approach speed control |
FLC changes pitch to hold speed; it does not guarantee safe thrust when autothrottle is off. VS holds a vertical rate and can therefore cause an overspeed or stall if you demand too much climb or descent.
Why will NAV, VNAV or approach mode not capture?
Automation usually fails to capture because the flight plan, selected source or intercept geometry is wrong, not because the autopilot itself is broken.
| Problem | Likely cause and fix |
|---|---|
| NAV stays armed | Check that FMS navigation is selected, the correct leg is active and the aircraft is close enough to intercept it. Use HDG to establish a shallow intercept. |
| VNAV will not descend | Select a lower altitude, confirm a valid vertical path and remove unintended route discontinuities. Use FLC if no path is available. |
| Localiser captures but glideslope does not | Approach from below, verify the ILS frequency and course, and arm APPR before reaching the beam. |
| Aircraft turns towards an old waypoint | The wrong leg is active. Select the intended next leg or use direct-to carefully, then verify the magenta route. |
| Throttle moves unexpectedly | Autothrottle, piloting assistance or a duplicate hardware axis is commanding it. Disconnect each source and check the bindings. |
| Engines will not start | Check fuel quantity, battery or external power, APU electrical power, bleed-air availability and the engine run-stop controls. |
Can you start the Longitude on the runway?
A runway start is the quickest way to practise handling, autopilot modes and approaches because MSFS loads the Longitude with its engines running and major systems configured. A parking start is better when you want to learn electrical power, the APU, engine starting and complete G5000 preparation.
Even from the runway, inspect the route, V-speeds, selected altitude, flap position, trim and autothrottle state before releasing the brakes. The ready-to-fly state does not guarantee that an imported route or approach is correct.