German business charter operator Platoon Aviation is preparing a major fleet diversification with an agreement covering up to twelve Cessna Citation Longitude jets. The Hamburg-based company, which has so far built its entire operation around the Pilatus PC-24, positions this move as a step into the super-midsize segment, adding longer range and higher-capacity aircraft to its offer.
Platoon Aviation currently operates a single-type fleet of Pilatus PC-24s, with eight aircraft in service by mid-2024 and additional growth already committed through two firm PC-24 orders and two options for deliveries in 2025 and 2026. This path could bring the PC-24 fleet to twelve aircraft within the next two years.
The Cessna Citation Longitude is a super-midsize business jet typically configured for eight to twelve passengers. It offers a stand-up cabin of around 1.8 m height, approximately 1.95 m width and about 7.7 m cabin length, together with a range in the 3,500–4,000 nm class and cruise speeds up to about Mach 0.84. New aircraft are generally priced in the 28–30 million dollar range, placing the potential Platoon commitment, if fully exercised, in the order of 300–360 million dollars at list prices.
No detailed breakdown has yet been disclosed on the number of firm orders versus options, the delivery schedule, or the specific cabin layouts selected by Platoon Aviation for its future Longitude fleet.