Cessna created the fastest, most comfortable, and most efficient jet with the Citation X introduction – which was subsequently awarded the prestigious Collier Trophy in its debut year in honor of the advances it had made in aviation and aerospace technology. It truly is the fastest mid-sized business jet available, regularly cruising at .90 mach to fly from Los Angeles to New York in less than six hours, or from Pittsburg to San Diego in four hours flat.

To enable the Citation X to cruise at .90 aerospace engineers had to spend months analyzing the jet’s aerodynamic structure with computational fluid dynamics technology, perform tests in a wind tunnel, then use computer technology to identify the high-drag areas and then apply precision instruments to correct the frame to as little as 1/100,000th of an inch. These precise modifications went on for months, resulting in the previously unequalled speed. Since Cessna’s goal was to also make this the fastest, high-performing, fuel-efficient business jet on the market with a fuel flow of only 386 gallons per hour.

Engineers everywhere in the private jet industry were being encouraged to create more reliable, higher-performing products operating at much lower costs. Rolls-Royce met these requirements with the creation of the high-bypass AE3007C1 turbofan engine, delivering 8,600 pounds of thrust. It was then further fine-tuned specifically for the Citation X to run at a lower temperature so the engines could run even longer. The engines created the highest thrust-to-weight ratio available at that time as well as the lowest specific fuel consumption for a private jet in its class.

Rolls-Royce implemented the Full Authority Digital Engine Controls (FADEC) system on the AE3007C1 engine. This system manages the engine performance ion behalf of the pilots so no damage can incur through excessive speed or operating estimates. This system makes the pilot’s job a lot easier and greatly reduces engine wear and tear. The engines have fewer obligatory scheduled inspections compared to similar engines and are generally reported to be highly reliable.

The cabin stretches to a length of 24 feet and a width of 5.5 feet (a similarly spacious cabin is the Citation series). The ceiling is 5.7 feet high. Standard seating configurations include 8 “executive” seats (extra large, extra comfortable seats with a full reclining capacity) and a fully equipped galley. A bathroom doubling as a dressing room is at the rear of the airplane and a closet large enough to store garment bags is within reach.

The Citation X’s baggage storage compartment is heated and pressurized, so no belongings could be damaged in flight, using a compartment holding a total of 82 cubic feet, or roughly 770 pounds of luggage.

One less frequently discussed feature of the Citation X is its external visual appeal by a design using clean lines, creating a look of speed, even while just sitting in a hangar, further enhanced by bragging rights of a 0.90 mach cruise speed that other private jets normally can’t reach.

No review would be complete without mentioning the choice of avionics – the Honeywell Primus 200 autopilot / flight director system using 5 7”x8” inch screens replacing analog instruments with an easy-to-read EICAS display. It also has a dual flight management system and a Honeywell GPS. The avionics suite includes an Enhanced Vision System with infrared sensors to create a visual for the pilot when he is flying IFR (Instrument Flight Rules), such as during snow and rain storms, fog, or at night.

The Citation X merits all of the excitement and hype it garnered being a versatile jet that can efficiently handle both short trips and international flights, possessing unmatched speed, efficiency, and reliability. Cessna has good reason calling the Citation X the “fastest, most efficient business jet ever built.”