The Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) has engaged Textron Aviation to configure a newly certified Cessna Citation Longitude. The aircraft is being modified for flight validation and flight inspection operations and should be delivered in 2021. It is outfitted with newly designed UNIFIS 3000-G2 flight inspection equipment to perform critical verification of navigation aids such as Instrument Landing System Category I, II, and III approaches, Ground Based Augmentation System, Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Range, Tactical Air Navigation System and more.

“From its early design stages, the clean-sheet design of the Citation Longitude gave us the flexibility to incorporate a wide range of special missions capabilities into the platform,” explains Textron vice president, defense and special missions sales Bob Gibbs. “We're pleased to be working with long-time customer JCAB as it expands its mission profile with the addition of the Longitude. The enhanced performance, large cabin and advanced capabilities of the aircraft give JCAB a new level of efficiency and productivity in maintaining the operational integrity of its airports and airways.”

JCAB also operates five Citation CJ4 jets in a similar flight inspection capacity.