Cessna began flight testing the Citation Sovereign mid-size business jet on 27 February with a 1h 10min flight from Wichita, Kansas. Powered by two 5,770lb-thrust (25.7kN) Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306C turbofans, the Sovereign is due for US certification in the third quarter of next year, leading to first deliveries in early 2004. Cessna says it has over 100 Sovereign orders.
Source: Flight International
US firm Sierra Nevada (SNC) has been awarded a $170 million contract to deliver two Rapcon-X surveillance aircraft to the Finnish Border Guard.
Turkish business jet charter company Air Sapphire has been heavily fined by the US government for flying a Gulfstream GIV to Russia without authorisation.
The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered inspections of the Gulfstream G500 and G600 fleet in response to a “quality escape” involving improperly installed engine-mounting hardware.
