Cessna yesterday handed over the keys to its 100th Citation Sovereign business jet, just over two years after the first example of its type was delivered. The 100th Sovereign was sold to Canada-based Agrium, a global producer and marketer of agricultural nutrients, industrial products, and fertilizers, and a major supplier of agricultural products and services in North and South America, and closely followed the company’s 100th delivery of a Citation CJ3, which took place slightly more than two months earlier. The Citation Sovereign received its FAA type certificate in June 2004; it is currently one of Cessna’s top three best-selling business jet models worldwide. It has a 459-knot cruise speed, 2,847-mile range, 3,640-foot takeoff distance, 2,650-foot landing distance and a 47,000-foot ceiling. The eight-passenger Citation CJ3, also one of the three best-selling Cessna business jets, was certificated in October 2004. It has a maximum cruise speed of 417 knots, 1,875-mile range, 3,180-foot takeoff distance, 2,770-foot landing distance and a 45,000-foot ceiling.
“While we’ve long been a leader in the light jet category, the Sovereign has given Cessna a strong competitive position in the mid-size jet segment,” said Cessna Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Jack J. Pelton. “The Citation Sovereign appeals to a broad segment of the business jet market worldwide. So far, 25 Sovereigns have gone to international customers in 17 different countries, including South America, Europe, the Middle East, Mexico and Australia. We anticipate demand will continue to increase for the Sovereign as we are already sold out of this model well into 2008.”
