#citation680

This view of a Cessna Citation Sovereign on short final for Dallas Love Field nicely illustrates its main aerodynamic features that give it the unique capabilities it has for a transcontinental-capable bizjet- the wing, despite being modestly swept at 16 degrees, has a supercritical airfoil that gives the Sovereign a higher cruising speed than you’d expect. The large trailing edge flaps cover a generous 70% of the wing span and allow the Sovereign to take off in only 4000 feet at maximum takeoff weight. The rudder and fin of the Sovereign is also the largest of any Citation jet and was necessary due to the power of the PW306 engines which give the jet a brisk thrust-to-weight ratio and allow the aircraft to reach its operating altitudes quickly. The long wing-body fairing is a characteristic of Cessna’s top flight aerodynamics research as it conforms to area-ruling for drag reduction, not unlike the shaping of the much faster and earlier Citation X. #avgeek #aviation #aircraft #planeporn #KDAL #DAL #DallasLoveField #airport #planespotting #instaplane #instagramaviation #Avgeekery #Cessna #Citation #CitationSovereign #Citation680 #N622CS #splendid_transport #instaaviation #aviationlovers #aviationphotography #flight #AvgeekSchoolofKnowledge (at Dallas Love Field)

Next in my survey of the Cessna Citation line of business jets comes the Citation Sovereign (Model 680). In the late 1990s, Cessna noted a gap in the Citation product line opening up as demand for the Citation III/VI/VII waned. But Cessna didn’t want just another midsize business jet to replace the earlier Citation III/VI/VII line- it wanted an aircraft that could fly transcontinental, carry more passengers than the previous Citation midsize jets, climb direct to cruising altitudes, operate out of runways under 4000 feet and be every bit as reliable and simple as the straight wing Citations. At the 1998, Cessna launched the Citation Sovereign to meet those requirements- it took the Citation Excel fuselage and stretched it 6.6 feet/2.0m with the sleeker nose of the Citation XLS variant. It was combined with an all new empennage and a unique modestly swept wing (only 16 degrees at the leading edge) that has a high critical Mach number with generous trailing edge flaps. Computation fluid dynamics was used to create a wing that was both relatively straight and well-endowed for short field performance but slippery enough for cruise faster than previous straight wing Citations. For a modestly swept wing Citation, it’s a bit overpowered with PW306C engines. And for a business jet that first flew in 2002, it has a relatively simple technological suite outside of its engines and glass cockpit. This not only makes the acquisition of the Citation Sovereign easier, but it also makes it more reliable with less things to break. #avgeek #aviation #aircraft #planeporn #KDAL #DAL #DallasLoveField #airport #planespotting #instaplane #instagramaviation #Avgeekery #Cessna #Citation #CitationSovereign #Citation680 #N7HB #splendid_transport #instaaviation #aviationlovers #aviationphotography #flight #AvgeekSchoolofKnowledge (at Dallas Love Field)