Cessna Shows Hotshot Golfer's Citation X

We don't know whether legendary golf champion Arnold Palmer has ever holed in one but if he does, he will have used at least seven Cessna Citations in getting there. Palmer has been firmly wedded to the continuing series of bizjets from Wichita since acquiring his first, a Citation I, 26 years ago. Since that first purchase, in 1976, he has subsequently bought and flown a Citation II, two Citation IIIs, a Citation VII and now his latest, a new Citation X-the first of a new series of upgraded jets.

With its distinctive personalized registration, N1AP, the aircraft is now destined to be seen at airfields close to some of the world's top courses and can be seen here at Changi this week. Having logged 18,000 hours since learning to fly in 1956, Palmer said he was now at the stage where he would not go any other way than by his Citation X in meeting his worldwide business commitments.

Upgrades in his latest aircraft include a 5% increase in the maximum power of its Rolls-Royce AE 3007C-1 engines conferring substantially better field performance at an increased maximum take-off weight.

More than 160 Citation Xs have entered service since Cessna delivered the first, also to Arnold Palmer, in August 1996.

By Bob Rodwell