Aircraft
Flight testing imminent for Sierra Super S-II
The Citation S550-based Sierra Super S-II completed a 36-minute maiden flight September 26 at Sierra’s Uvalde, Texas modification center.

The Citation S550-based Sierra Super S-II completed a 36-minute maiden flight September 26 at Sierra’s Uvalde, Texas modification center. The flight demonstrated the “dramatic” improvements of the dual fadec-controlled Williams FJ44-3A engines, the company said.

The aircraft reached 18,000 feet in three minutes and 45 seconds. Sierra CEO and chief test pilot Mark Huffstutler performed a variety of in-flight system checks, including shutdown and restart of each engine, stalls and pressurization checks. “This was a superb first flight,” Huffstutler said. “Everything worked so well, it seemed almost routine. There is no substitute for sheer power–just what this aircraft needed to achieve its full potential.”