Textron Aviation has delivered the first two Citation Latitude aircraft configured for flight inspection missions to Kanematsu Corporation. They will be owned and operated by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) to ensure the integrity of instrument approaches and airway procedures that constitute the national airspace of Japan. A third aircraft is anticipated to be delivered in early 2021.

“We're proud the JASDF selected the Cessna Citation Latitude, the best-selling midsize jet, in support of its flight inspection mission,“ says Bob Gibbs, vice president, special mission sales. “When the JASDF needed a modern aircraft with low direct operation costs for an enduring mission, it chose the Cessna Citation Latitude.”

Fitted with UNIFIS 3000 flight inspection system equipment from Norwegian Special Mission (NSM), the aircraft will provide flight inspection missions through the periodic evaluation of navigational aids, such as flight procedures and electronic signals, to ensure they are safe and accurate. The aircraft will be operated by the Flight Checker Squadron, a JASDF unit based at Iruma Air Base in Saitama Prefecture north of Tokyo.

“Flight inspection has long been a vital part of providing a safe air transportation system making instrument flight possible and safeguarding passengers and aircrew,” says Gibbs. “The Latitude's long range, large cabin and class-leading performance ideally suits it for the flight inspection mission.”

The Latitude, with a four-passenger range of 2,700 nautical miles (5,000 km) at high-speed cruise, combines comfort and efficiency. The aircraft's class-leading take-off field length of 3,580 feet provides operators with greater range out of short fields. Inside, the Latitude offers an unrivalled cabin experience featuring the most open, spacious, bright and refined cabin environment in its category. With a flat floor and six feet of cabin height, innovation abounds with exceptional features designed throughout the aircraft.

Textron Aviation's wireless cabin management system provides productive connectivity and entertainment to each passenger through their personal electronic devices. With standard seating configurations, the Latitude can comfortably accommodate up to nine passengers. Extended maintenance intervals provide owners with low direct operating costs in the midsize segment.

Textron is also configuring a Longitude for flight inspections. This aircraft is due to be delivered to the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau in 2021.