Lufthansa Selects Citation Business Jets for Private Fleet

Lufthansa has acquired four additional Cessna Citation business jets with a total value of approximately $40 million. This order for two CJ3 jets and two XLS+ aircraft is in addition to Lufthansa's order for four Citation CJ1+ aircraft for its new pilot training program, which was announced at the National Business Aviation Association annual meeting in September 2007.
All aircraft are scheduled for delivery between March 2008 and mid-2009 and will operate in the Lufthansa Private Jet fleet, which provides point-to-point flights among 1,000 destinations in Europe and Russia. The Private Jet service also offers customers of Lufthansa and SWISS long-haul flights exclusive, seamless travel to onward regional airports.
The Citation CJ3 cruises at up to 417 knots and direct climbs to 45,000 feet in just 27 minutes. The aircraft features Collins Pro Line 21 fully integrated avionics, electronically controlled (FADEC) engines from Williams, 1,875 nautical miles of range and the ability to use runways as short as 3,200 feet.
The 560 series began with the Citation Excel, which was granted FAA type certification in April 1998. The Excel received a block point change in 2004 and became the XLS. Certification is underway on the upgraded XLS+, which will feature the Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite and FADEC engines from Pratt & Whitney.
Exterior and interior restyling is also integrated into the new model, most prominently the extended contour of the nose and expanded seat widths, both introduced to more closely resemble Cessna's Citation X and Citation Sovereign models. The Citation XLS+ will travel as fast as 440 knots, have a range of more than 1,800 nautical miles, climb direct to 45,000 feet in 29 minutes and land on runways as short as 3,180 feet at its maximum landing weight, and 2,700 feet at its typical landing weight.