Fastest Commercial Plane

The fastest commercial plane ever built is the Tu-144 (retired 1977). Its top speed is over 1,555 mph (2,500 km/h). The fastest jet currently in service is the Cessna Citation X. It has a top speed of Mach 0.92. This is about 607 mph / 977 km/h. This is at an altitude of 41,000 ft. It is operated by a crew of two.

Technical Specifications

The Cessna Citation X has a passenger capacity of 8-12. The jet is 72 ft 4 in (22.05 m) long with a wingspan of 63 ft 7 in (19.38 m). It has a height of 19 ft 2 in (5.84 m). The wing area is 527.0 ft2 (48.96 m2). The aspect ratio is 7.8:1.

The max takeoff weight is 36,100 lb (16,374 kg). The powerplant are two 2× Rolls-Royce/Allison AE 3007C-1 turbofan. Each is 6,764 lbf (30.01 kN).

Performance Specs

The Citation X has a cruise speed of 525 knots. This is equal to 972 km/h or 604 Mph. This is at an altitude of 35,000 ft (10,700 m). The range is 3,216 nmi (3,700 mi, 5,956 km). The service ceiling is 51,000 ft (15,545 m).

The rate of climb is 3,650 ft/min (18.6 m/s). The takeoff distance is 5,140 ft (1,567 m). The landing distance is 3,400 ft (1,036 m). The Citation X has a maximum fuel capacity of 1,926 US gallons / 7,291 L.

General Information about Citation X

The plane is classified as a long-range medium business jet aircraft. It is currently the quickest civilian operative jet. The fastest commercial plane is also the fastest business jet service in the world.

The aircraft is manufactured by the Cessna Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas. There are six Citation “families”. Some of the other models include the Citation III, VI and VI. But in terms of design, the Citation X is superior to the others. It is faster and has unique engines.

Citation X Design

Aside from new engines, the Citation X’s wing, gears, tail and tail cone are built from the ground up unlike the other planes. It is also the first Cessna aircraft to have fully integrated electronics and Roll-Royce engines. On the outside, the Citation X looks no different from the others. Inside however, it is a new aircraft.

The fastest commercial plane has the same fuselage size as the Citation VII. However, its engine intake diameter is bigger. This helps in reducing the engine noise.