Textron Inc said on Monday it plans to develop a new business jet, the Cessna Citation Hemisphere, adding a competitor to the field of large, long-range private aircraft that have captured increasing sales in recent years.
The Hemisphere will complete a three-jet Cessna Citation lineup that includes the smaller Citation Latitude and super mid-sized Longitude.
Textron said it chose Honeywell Aerospace's HTF7700L turbofan to power the Longitude jet, replacing the Silvercrest engine by French maker Snecma, a unit of Safran SA.
Textron Aviation Chief Executive Scott Ernest would not say if the company was likely to also pick Honeywell to supply the Hemisphere's engines, adding that Textron is "continuing to look" for the right engine fit.
Honeywell said it was also picked to supply the Longitude's auxiliary power unit and some cockpit technology.
Textron said the Citation Hemisphere would have a range of 4,500 nautical miles, and the first flight is expected in 2019. At an area airport, Textron showed a mock-up of the Hemisphere fuselage, with a 102-inch diameter that would be "the widest cabin in its class." The seating configuration is being worked on with customers.
The Cessna announcement came as Textron said it would develop a single-engine turboprop plane in conjunction with a new General Electric engine, marking two new aircraft launched at the National Business Aviation Association conference here this week, and suggests growing confidence in a market rebound despite slow sales expected next year.
Source: http://www.reuters.com
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