Cessna Citation Hemisphere

Announced at the 2015 National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) conference with the widest cabin in its class, it was expected to fly in 2019.[1]

Although the Snecma Silvercrest was originally selected, the process was re-opened to the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW800.[2] The Silvercrest with over 12,000 lbf (53 kN) of thrust was confirmed for the 2016 NBAA Convention, along the selection of Honeywell Primus Epic cockpit and Thales Group fly-by-wire flight control system.[3]

The Silvercrest axial-centrifugal high-pressure compressor architecture is common below 7,000 lbf (31 kN) but rare in its 10,000–12,000 lbf (44–53 kN) range, and the pressure losses complexity at the final centrifugal stage made it slow to respond to commands in high altitude tests. This made Dassault cancel its Silvercrest-powered Falcon 5X, but the Hemisphere business case depends on it as it could lead to the best fuel efficiency in the segment. Textron is confident Safran can resolve the problems before the 2019 first flight.[4]

In April 2018, development was suspended to see how Safran manage the Silvercrest problems before a decision on its continuation is made, or to defer it or to switch to another engine.[5] In May 2018, Safran announced it had launched a high-pressure compressor redesign for a go-ahead decision by the middle of 2019, after testing, shelving the Hemisphere program if problems cannot be fixed.[6] The redesigned compressor will be tested in July 2019 to prove the engine operation.[7]

On October 15, 2018, fractional operator NetJets announced the purchase of up to 150 Hemispheres, priced at $35 million each, along 175 Citation Longitude, ordered for $26 million each.[8]

In July 2019, Textron suspended the development as its Safran Silvercrest turbofans did not meet objectives.[9] In October 2019, Textron reaffirmed that the project was still suspended, but not terminated.[10]

Data from Citation Hemisphere[11]

General characteristics

• Capacity: 12 passengers
• Fuselage diameter: 102 inches (260 cm)
• Powerplant: 2 × Safran Silvercrest turbofans, 12,000 lbf (53 kN) thrust each

Performance

• Cruise speed: 516 kn (594 mph, 956 km/h) mach 0.9
• Range: 4,500 nmi (5,200 mi, 8,300 km)
• Cabin Altitude: 5,000 ft (1,500 m)

Related development

• Cessna Citation series
• Cessna Citation Columbus

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Bombardier Challenger 650
• Dassault Falcon 2000LXS/EX
• Dassault Falcon 900