“Nothing surprises me,” says Vincent. “We were on a sugar high in 2021 and 2022, fed by essentially free money. Now with middle single-digit loan rates, we’re getting back to a more normal market.”

Adds Ron Epstein, senior equity analyst at Bank of America: “The COVID recovery was kind of a weird thing. We’re getting back to a normal [growth] trajectory pre-COVID.”

Rising interest rates haven’t yet been much of a damper on new aircraft sales, as up to 60 percent to 70 percent of purchases now are all cash or 50 percent cash down/50 percent financing. Less than one-third involve a large loan. Some buyers look at 6 percent aircraft loan rates in relation to the 8 percent returns they’re making on investments, so they’re choosing to finance aircraft purchases rather than tying up cash.

The current market cooldown is more related to supply chain snags, particularly as noted by the heads of Bombardier, Dassault, and Gulfstream. Éric Martel, Bombardier’s CEO, says fewer of the firm’s suppliers have problems, but the remaining ones have systemic issues that need remedial work. Bombardier has its own specialists embedded with key suppliers to provide support should issues arise.

Dassault chief Éric Trappier points out that supply chain issues in 2023 are worse than last year, partly from the fallout of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Some materials, such as titanium, are in short supply, and European aerospace manufacturer’s energy costs have soared. In mid-July, Trappier disclosed that sales had slowed in the first half of 2023 as compared to the same period in 2022 in large part because of the war in Ukraine.

Gulfstream president Mark Burns says that while supply chains are constricted, the Savannah, Georgia, firm began reordering parts and materials two years ago, resulting in fewer challenges. Phebe Novakovic, CEO and chairman of General Dynamics, Gulfstream’s parent company, has modestly scaled back projected deliveries for 2023.

There’s an upside to supply chain snags, says Epstein, because “it prevents anybody from spoiling the party because it forces production discipline.” Simply put, manufacturers cannot flood the market with an oversupply of airplanes.

Market growth also is being constricted by aircraft certification delays. Similar to many other organizations, the FAA encouraged many employees to work remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several staff members have been reluctant to move back to FAA offices after experiencing the freedom and flexibility of their remote workplaces. Industry observers claim sparsely staffed FAA certification offices are creating long delays in paperwork processing.

In addition, the FAA has doubled down on its aircraft certification checks in the wake of the Boeing 737 Max debacle, delaying by several months the type certification of the Dassault Falcon 6X and Gulfstream G700 and G800, plus potentially the Beechcraft Denali in 2025.

Prospects for smaller turbofan aircraft already in production remain bright. Cirrus, for instance, delivered 90 single-engine SF50 Vision Jets in 2022, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) aircraft shipment report. Demand for the entry-level Vision Jet remains strong because it’s an easy step up from Cirrus’ piston singles, owing to its combination of docile handling, human-centered flight deck design, passenger amenities, and top-notch customer support. It’s very similar to the success that Cessna enjoyed 50 years ago when it introduced the mild-performing, twin-turbofan Citation 500 as a modest step-up product from its 300- and 400-series piston twins.

The Vision Jet is the only turbofan aircraft as of yet to offer both a standard airframe parachute system and Garmin Autoland—branded Safe Return—providing unsurpassed peace of mind to occupants. Similar to the long-term growth plan that Cessna had with its Citation500 family, Cirrus is expected to develop faster, higher, and farther-flying turbofan aircraft as follow-on products to the Vision Jet. As FLYING previously reported, Cirrus Aircraft filed for a $300 million initial public offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to provide funds for new aircraft development and increased pro-duction capacity, among other growth goals.

• READ MORE: We Fly: Cirrus Vision Jet G2+

Deliveries in the light jet twin-turbofan market continue slowly to decline, in large part because of the steep drop in demand for Embraer Phenom 100-series aircraft, once the most popular light jet by a wide margin.

Phenom 100 deliveries soared during its first two full production years (2009-2010) for the 100, with Embraer producing nearly 200 units. The Phenom 100 completely eclipsed its archrival, the Cessna Citation CJ1+, a light jet that was $1 million more expensive and somewhat slower. The Phenom 100’s introductory price was on par with the Cessna CE-510 Mustang, but its cabin cross section was nearly as big as the Learjet 45. The Phenom 100’s tall stance and airstair door made it look even larger than its actual size, adding to its perceived value. Owner pilots also favored the Phenom 100’s Garmin G1000 avionics package over the CJ1+’s Collins Pro Line 21 system.

Three years later, Textron Aviation responded by delivering Citation M2, a CJ1 variant with more thrust, Garmin G3000 avionics, a plusher interior than the Embraer, a 40-plus-knot cruise speed advantage, 160 nm more range, and a more attractive price tag than CJ1+. Within a few years, M2 took the sales lead from Embraer in this class and it clearly has maintained it. M2 steadily is catching the Phenom 100 in total sales, with Textron now having delivered more than 340 Citation M2 jets compared to Embraer’s 400-plus Phenom 100 aircraft.

M2 deliveries also surpass those of HA-420 HondaJet, despite the latter’s having a roomier cabin, higher cruise speeds and, arguably, the quietest interior in the light jet class. The Citation, however, offers superior runway performance and a roughly $800,000 lower price.

Veteran buyers also are keen on product support, giving Textron Aviation a major competitive edge over Embraer and Honda Aircraft, according to some industry observers. Textron Aviation delivered nearly double the number of M2 jets in 2022 compared to the HondaJet, and it’s on track to preserve a similar margin in 2023. Phenom 100 comes in a distant third.

Competition in the upper end of the light jet market is far different. Three competitors, Embraer’s Phenom 300E and Textron Aviation’s Citation CJ3+ and CJ4 Gen2 face off. The Brazilian offering has compelling advantages—biggest cabin volume, lowest cabin altitude, longest range, highest cruise speed, and smallest price. Phenom 300/300E deliveries, as a result, now exceed those of CJ3+ and CJ4 Gen2 combined. The Phenom 300 also siphoned off so many Learjet 75 orders that Bombardier was compelled to shut down production. Notably, the Phenom 300 has been the best-selling light jet for more than a decade. And it’s the only light jet to be purchased by all three major fractional aircraft operators—NetJets, Flexjet, and Airshare.

The upmarket Pilatus PC-24 resides in a class of its own, straddling the boundary between light jets and midsize aircraft. Its 18,300-pound max takeoff weight, fuel efficiency, single-pilot certification, and runway performance make it competitive. Its 500-cubic-foot cabin volume, flat floor, standard autothrottles, and 400-knot block speed nudge it into the midsize niche. The right engine has a special low idle rpm ground mode that enables it to double as an APU, thereby providing heating, air conditioning, and electrical power when the aircraft is parked. The PC-24 is the only jet in either class to have a 4.2-foot high by 4.1-foot wide aft cargo door. It can use unpaved runways, just like the PC-12 NGX turboprop. That increases the number of landing facilities it can use from 10,650 to 21,000.

Textron Aviation’s Citation Ascend, the fifth-generation Citation CE-560XL, is the last remaining truly midsize class jet. Gone are Citation III/VI/VII, Hawker800, Gulfstream G150, and Learjet 60. None had the 560XL’s blend of short-field performance, cabin comfort, operating economics, and low purchase price—though it won’t reach the market until 2025.

Ascend could be the last member of the venerable CE-560XL family, a placeholder to buy time for Textron Aviation to develop a clean-sheet replacement aircraft with more speed, more range, and more cabin volume. At nearly $17 million, Ascend’s price point puts it close to the $18 million Embraer Praetor 500, a super-mid-size aircraft with 70 percent more range, 40 to 70 knots more speed, and half again more cabin volume.

• READ MORE: Citation Ascend Mock-Up to Debut at NBAA

The Praetor 500 can fly nonstop between almost any two U.S. continental coastal cities at Mach 0.80 against winter winds. It has the lowest cabin altitude in its class, 5,800 inside while cruising at 45,000 feet. It boasts full-tanks, full-seats loading flexibility. It has a wet galley, vacuum lavatory, and optional Viasat KA-band SatCom connectivity. It’s the least expensive jet in FLYING’s Buyers Guide to boast fly-by-wire flight controls, a technology that used to be available only on the most expensive jets from Bombardier, Dassault, and Gulfstream. Topping all that, it beats Citation Ascend’s short-field performance on equal length missions. However, being much heavier than Citation Ascend, Praetor 500 burns 20 to 25 percent more fuel.

• READ MORE: We Fly: Embraer Praetor 500

The super-midsize class remains one of the most hotly contested sectors with offerings from Bombardier, Gulfstream, and Textron, as well as Embraer. All contenders feature two cabin sections, typically configured with double-club seating or a single-club section up front and a divan plus two facing chairs at the rear. Bombardier Challenger 3500, the latest variant of the Challenger 300 that entered service in 2003, sports a cabin with nearly the same cross section as a Gulfstream V, lower cabin altitudes to reduce fatigue, more comfortable and stylish Nüage chairs and numerous connectivity and convenience upgrades.

The Challenger 300 series has been the bestseller in class for two decades because of its combination of cabin comfort, performance, operating economics, and dispatch reliability. With fat margins and fuel problems, it’s a cash cow for Bombardier. However, some industry analysts maintain Challenger 3500 is due for a major refresh to keep it competitive in the long term.

The Gulfstream G280 is the performance leader, capable of flying four passengers 3,700 nm at Mach 0.80, and eight passengers 3,500 nm at the same speed. Its cabin is slightly narrower than Challenger 3500, but it’s longer, so the volume is virtually the same. The G280 features a wing derived from the GV airfoil, albeit one with different twist and improved winglets. Fuel efficiency rivals the best class, a result of the low drag wing, fuel-efficient HTF7250G turbofans and comparatively high cruising altitudes. For example, it can climb directly to 43,000 feet on an ISA+10 degree Celsius day. Demand for G280 is getting stronger, with Gulfstream delivering 24 aircraft in 2022, according to GAMA.

Textron Aviation’s Citation Latitude is the firm’s bestselling jet, with 42 deliveries in 2022. Passengers love this airplane, especially its roomy aft lavatory. This low-risk derivative of the Model 680 Sovereign+ offers the largest cabin cross section of any Citation yet to enter production but one with impressive structural efficiency. Its increase in empty weight is less than 360 pounds compared to Sovereign+, while its cabin is 4 inches higher and 11 inches wider. It features the first flat floor in a Citation, a 9.66 psi pressurization system that maintains cabin altitude below 6,000 feet and a Garmin G5000 flight deck. Cabin width is about 5 inches narrower, and floor width is 7 inches less than in the Praetor 500, thus its cross section is the leanest in class. The Latitude’s typical block speed is 400 knots, so it’s optimized for two- to three-hour trips even though it has a 6.5-hour endurance.

• READ MORE: We Fly: Cessna Citation Latitude

The Latitude’s fraternal twin, the Citation Longitude, shares its cabin cross section, low cabin altitudes, and G5000 avionics package, but little else. The wing has a super-critical airfoil with 28.6 degrees of sweep at one-quarter chord. It’s powered by Honeywell HTF7000 series turbofans, considered best in class by Bombardier, Embraer, and Gulfstream. Normal cruises peed is Mach 0.80, so mission block times are nearly identical to those of Gulfstream G280.

The jet will fly four passengers 3,500 nm and eight passengers 3,400 nm at that speed, enabling it to cruise from New York to Paris, but not necessarily Paris to New York against winter headwinds. On typical two-to three-hour missions, the Longitude burns less fuel than the Latitude and its takeoff and landing distances are only slightly longer. Textron Aviation’s asking price is nearly $30 million, the highest in the super-midsize class, but that’s not dampening sales, again boosted by the company’s renowned product support and the air-plane’s unsurpassed low cabin noise levels. Textron Aviation delivered 26 units in 2022.

Embraer’s Praetor 600 is the value leader in this market niche. With a $21.5 million base price, it’s less than $2 million more than the Citation Latitude, yet it offers an extensive list of standard features. Along with the Praetor 500, it’s the only super-mid to have fly-by-wire flight controls. Its cabin cross is slightly smaller than either the Bombardier Challenger 3500 or Gulfstream G280 but larger than the Latitude or Longitude. Similar to the Citation Latitude and Praetor 500, there is no access to the unpressurized aft baggage compartment in flight. With a highest-in-class, 16,000-plus-pound fuel capacity, it can fly eight passengers 3,900 nm at long-range cruise. At Mach 0.80, range is close to 3,700 nm.

While orders are strong at all the jet manufacturers in FLYING’s Buyers Guide, storm clouds rapidly are forming in Europe. Climate change activists cut the airport security fence at Geneva International Airport (LSGG) in May and chained themselves to aircraft on display at the European Business Aviation Convention& Exhibition, calling for a total ban on private jets, decrying them as “toxic objects” and carrying signs that read, “Warning: Private Jets Drown Our Hope.”

Another environmental group sprayed orange paint on a Citation CJ1 at Sylt, Germany, in June, and a third splattered yellow paint over an Embraer Phenom 300E at Ibiza, Spain, in July, unfurling a banner that read, “Your Luxury = Our Climate Crisis.”

Dassault fully understands the threats posed by environmental protesters in Europe, warning that aviation bashing often translates into government regulatory policies. Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport (EHAM), for instance, plans to ban private jets after 2025. Dassault officials counter that all 2,100 Falcon Jets in service produce the same emissions as a single day of internet video streaming.

To put business jet aviation emissions into perspective, it’s constructive to first look at global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. In 2022, the total was 36.8 billion metric tons, according to the International Energy Agency. IAE says aviation represents 2 percent of total CO2 emissions, or 736 million metric tons. ICAO also quotes a 2 percent aviation share, based upon research conducted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. GAMA claims that business aviation represents 2 percent of all aircraft emissions, or 14.7 million metric tons.

The World Health Organization, in contrast, reports the tobacco industry emits 84 million metric tons of CO2 every year, more than 5.7 times as much as business aviation. FLYING knows of no climate change activists who are protesting cigarette smoking.

“There’s [an] angle of class warfare here,” says Epstein, the Bank of America analyst.

Says another business aviation veteran: “Business jet owners are targeted as fat cats that don’t have to go through TSA. It’s not yet an existential threat in the U.S. But what happens in Europe eventually comes here.”

In light of growing public sentiment regarding the carbon impact of private jets, the business aviation industry has committed to slashing total CO2 emissions by 50 percent by 2050 compared to 2005. Transitioning from fossil fuel to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF or bio jet-A) can reduce overall aircraft CO2 emissions by 80 percent, according to the International Air Transport Association. Some SAF advocates claim up to 90 percent reduction, depending upon the bio feedstocks and production processes.

The challenges to making the jump from fossil jet-A to SAF are immense. Currently, the aviation industry uses close to 100 billion gallons of jet-A annually but only 14 million gallons is SAF, the majority of which was purchased by business jet operators, according to Timothy Obitts, CEO of Alder Fuels, a leading sustainable fuels company in Virginia. One big hurdle to scaling up SAF production is price. The wholesale cost of biojet is up to three times as much as fossil fuel, so FBOs are bound to charge a substantial premium for it, squeezing the already tight budgets of many light jet operators.

• READ MORE: Business Aviation Industry Groups Aim to Speed Adoption of SAF

“Scaling up production of SAF is beyond the scope of business aviation,” says Epstein. “It’s not happening anytime soon. It’s going to take a massive investment by government. And then business aviation can ride on the coattails.”

However, the underpinnings of the business jet sector remain strong.

“People want to travel by air,” Epstein says. “The industry needs to be aware of climate change pressures and manage them. Climate change activists aren’t the ones buying business jets.”

The post Jets: Reaching the Service Ceiling appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Cessna’s booth was extravagant, with massive TV screens showing video clips of Citation jets flying in front of beautiful backgrounds, highlighted by dramatic music. Then-president and CEO Jack Pelton announced three new airplanes that day, so it was a busy day for the communications team to say the least. One of the airplanes we announced was the Citation CJ4.

Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen 2 at a Glance

With seats for up to 11 people, the Citation CJ4 Gen2 is the largest 525-series jet built to date. The all-metal twinjet shares many features with its siblings, including the external size of the metal tube and Williams FJ-44 turbofan engines. “The CJ4 offers the strongest performance and payload balance yet in the CJ series, with more standard features and passenger comforts than ever before,” Pelton said. While this was the official announcement of the CJ4, Cessna had already accepted 70 orders.

In February of this year—15 years after Pelton announced the CJ4—Textron Aviation certificated[AC1]  the CJ4 Gen2. Cessna, which became a business segment of Textron in 1992, has previously used a simple “plus” for its upgrades. But Jimmy Beeson, technical marketing manager at Textron Aviation, said Gen2 is a new, standardized way to “demonstrate to our customer base that we are listening to their feedback and continue to invest in our legacy products.” And as such, the CJ4 Gen2 delivers.

525 Legacy

The Citation CJ4 Gen2 was born into a storied legacy of airplanes coming out of Cessna’s factories in Wichita and Independence, Kansas. The company’s nearly 94-year history, spearheaded by Clyde Cessna, began with decades of extreme success in the single-engine- and multiengine-piston market, building thousands of training aircraft for civilian and military pilots as well as owner-flown products.

Cessna Aircraft Co. started dabbling in jets in the mid-1950s, and its first bizjet offering was the Fanjet 500, which later became the Citation, named after a thoroughbred racehorse. It was announced in 1968 and achieved FAA certification in 1971. The airplane became an instant success—and Cessna delivered 52 Citation 500s in 1972. Following a long list of successful Citation models, Cessna’s Citation X design team won the Robert J. Collier Trophy in 1996 for developing the first business jet to hit a cruise speed of Mach 0.92.

Until 1989, all Citations were certified to be flown by two pilots. But that year, Cessna announced the CitationJet—later “CJ” for short—to provide options for owners who wanted to fly solo. It developed into a series of CJs under the same single-pilot type certificate—the coveted 525 type. Today, Textron Aviation’s 525-series models in production include the CJ3+, CJ4 Gen2 and M2—a derivative of the CJ1. The initial type-rating training takes about 16 days of ground and flight sessions. While no new type rating is required to swap from one to another, pilots need to go through approximately five days of differences training when moving between models.

Exceptional Utility

With a range that spans the country and speed that gets you there fast, the CJ4 is considered the flagship of the 525 series. Two FJ44-4A fanjets—each producing 3,621 pounds of thrust—propel the jet as high as 45,000 feet and as fast as 451 ktas. With a full-fuel payload of 1,122 pounds and a takeoff field length of 3,410 feet, it is a highly capable machine.

Using long-range cruise power, the CJ4 Gen2 can go up to 2,140 nm, according to the company. That doesn’t quite get you from Los Angeles to New York, but you can go from LA to Atlanta, from San Diego to Orlando, or from New York to Phoenix without having to stop. From Denver—where I conducted the flight test for this report—we could have reached as far south as Costa Rica and as far north as the southern tip of Alaska.

But the CJ4 Gen2 also shows great utility for shorter trips. The owner of the aircraft I flew for the flight test is president and CEO of ADS—a company that provides disaster-response services, such as temporary housing and associated facilities—and he took delivery this summer of his new CJ4 Gen2. While the owner doesn’t fly the airplane up front, he has followed the classic CJ ownership track. He started flying a CJ1 in 2017. He soon upgraded to a CJ2+ and, this year, decided to go for a brand-new CJ4 Gen2. “What happened is that we needed to go further faster,” he said.

“Our work is never planned because that’s what the word ‘disaster’ means,” he continued. After owning the CJ4 Gen2 for three months, he had put 160 hours on the airplane. A few days before our interview, he conducted five meetings in one day in five states: Florida, Virginia, Indiana, Tennessee and Texas. There are times when he gets a contract to set up a 5,000-man camp in 72 hours. “The plane is critical, or the jobs fall behind,” and that can cost the company hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It’s not just the efficiency of travel that has helped the owner realize the return on investment. “We have had Wi-Fi in the last two planes, so literally it looks like a mini office in the back of the plane,” he said. “I can be back on the computer before the plane even takes off.”

Exploring the CJ4 Gen2

On a crisp, clear fall morning, I mounted the new and improved airstairs of the CJ4 Gen2 at Centennial Airport (KAPA) in the southern part of the Denver metropolitan area. Many CJ operators carry a step stool to get to the first step of the airstair. The CJ4 Gen2 adds a step on the bottom and a handrail that folds out from the doorframe. These two additions make it really easy to step into the cabin. Sadly, it was too bright to appreciate the new lights on the stairs and the cool effect from the logo light that would have lit up the tarmac under the first step.

If you continue walking up the airstair, you’ll walk right into the side-facing seats. The airplane I flew had the optional two-seat couch. The backrests fold down, and the backside has a nonslip material and attachment points for a cargo net or straps, allowing the space to be used for additional luggage. However, the armrest between the seats protrudes above the folded backrests, so you can’t put an oversize flat item there. No need for that, however. The aft and forward cargo compartments provide 1,000 pounds between them, with 40 pounds of internal capacity found within the larger closet.

Between the entrance and cockpit is the galley, which has a newly designed countertop that pulls out to provide more space. There are several cabinets, some of which have drawers and stowaway doors that provide easy access to whatever is stored in the compartments. A standard power port in one of the cabinets allows for a regular coffee machine or Keurig/Nespresso unit. These can be replaced quickly and cheaply compared with aircraft-compliant coffee systems, which are not only expensive but can also take time to replace. A high-power port is an option, and hot tanks are standard.

While bleed air provides heat and pressurization, the air conditioning is an electrically operated vapor-cycle machine. Pilots and passengers who are used to getting cooked on the ground because of insufficient air from an underpowered APU will love plugging into a ground power unit and getting terrific airflow. It was 23 degrees Celsius while we were going through the interior details—plenty warm to turn a jet cabin into a sauna. But it was nice and cool inside.

While it wasn’t time to “go,” I headed to the lavatory. The Gen2 has two CoolView skylights that provide a pleasant and open feel in that relatively small space. The new optional vanity features stone countertops and several compartments in which to store bathroom necessities. It’s a nice setup, but the mirror above the vanity appeared somewhat warped—perhaps a function of the shape of the bulkhead. Another useful feature is a handle that folds down from the ceiling for hanging clothes. The lav itself can be serviced from an external port.

While it’s not quite a stand-up cabin for an average human like me, walking through the cabin is easy since the seats and armrests can be pushed right against the cabin walls. The completely redesigned seats are extremely comfortable and swivel to provide optimum positioning. Tray tables fold out from the side walls, and there are plenty of power ports (USB and standard) in the cabin and cockpit. Textron Aviation has its own interiors manufacturing facility in Wichita, so while the CJ4’s seats and six color schemes likely serve most customers’ wants and needs, modifications are possible.

The second row of seats slide way back, providing at least a foot of space between the knees of passengers in the club seats. The seats also recline completely flat, providing a comfortable—and welcoming—place to take a nap.

The potential for a proper nap is maximized by the new window shades, which can be operated from switches in the cabin or an app that also can adjust multiple cabin lights. The lights are dimmable, providing a pleasant ambiance. The shades and lights can also be controlled from a panel in the galley within reach of the pilots. The pleated window shades have two sections: one that provides privacy but allows light to break through and one that provides complete darkness in the cabin.

With the cockpit beckoning, I deferred the nap and headed toward the front.

Flying the CJ4 Gen2

I sat down next to Textron Aviation pilot Don Woodward. Adding to the excitement of the flight was the fact that I had demo’d Woodward in the Cessna TTx about 13 years prior when we were both working for Cessna. Woodward gave me a choice of seats. Generally, I would always prefer the left, but because I have mostly flown jets from the right seat as a first officer, I chose that position.

Garmin and Avidyne have dominated my general aviation flying, but I’ve come to love the Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite during my past few years of airline flying. While very familiar, the Pro Line 21 version in the CJ4 Gen2 has significantly crisper LCD displays and slightly different buttonology from the model found in the jets I regularly fly.

Going from Garmin to Collins—as a pilot would do if moving up from the Mustang or other CJ models, for example—is quite a transition. The system is operated through hard buttons and menus that are not as intuitive as Garmin’s touchscreen FMS. For those who reject the transition (personally, I like learning new avionics, but it’s not for everyone), Textron Aviation offers the CJ3+. You lose one seat, about 35 knots on the top speed, approximately 125 nm of range and a few features covered in the sidebar (“What Makes the CJ4 Gen2 Different?”), but the CJ3+ is still a capable option for pilots who would rather fly behind the Garmin G3000.

The Pro Line 21 in the CJ4 Gen2 allows the pilot to obtain digital ATIS and pre-departure clearances—notable features for pilots who are used to writing down and reading back that information. Landing elevation is automatically set to schedule the pressurization system for the destination airport in a flight plan. Like most avionics suites these days, Pro Line 21 offers live traffic and weather, as well as full navigation capabilities including departure and arrival procedures. With proper weight-and-balance data, the system delivers the applicable V-speeds for departure to be entered for display on the PFD.

We were only three people on board with 3,800 pounds of fuel, so the demo can’t be considered to represent performance at max takeoff weight. In fact, for the flight, our takeoff weight was 14,000 pounds—more than 3,000 pounds below the max takeoff weight. But it was a way to check on the accuracy of Cessna’s performance app. It told us the time to climb to 40,000 feet from Denver would be 13 minutes. To the service ceiling of 45,000, it would take us 18 minutes, though we chose to stop at FL 400.

Bright blue skies prevented me from evaluating the Collins MultiScan weather-radar system (which pilots apparently love for its automatic tilt capability), the anti-ice system (which is comprised of heated engine cowls and wing leading edges), or the boots on the horizontal stabilizer. The electrically heated windshield has been standard on the CJ4 since 2010, which eliminates any condensation issues, Woodward said.

While unlatched doors or latches will generate a CAS message, the GPU port won’t raise the alarm. So, it’s critical to verify with the ground handler that the GPU is indeed disconnected before starting up. 

The FJ44-4As are fadec-controlled, making the startup almost as simple as that of a car. Just push the start and run buttons, monitor the gauges and CAS messages, and away you go. Speaking of easy, pilots will appreciate the fact that there are fewer memory items for emergency procedures compared with the CJ2 and CJ3 models, Woodward said. Technicians will be happy to know that the panel has an event marker that the pilot can push to highlight any unusual occurrences in flight to make it easier for maintenance personnel to troubleshoot.

The rudder pedals provide up to 20 degrees of turn and differential braking up to 90 degrees on the ground. It was surprisingly easy to taxi, and I pointed the CJ4 Gen2 toward Runway 17L. When cleared for takeoff, I lined up with the centerline and applied the brakes. I held them until we had achieved full power and released them slowly to prevent a big jolt. David Bodlak, our passenger who is also a Textron Aviation pilot, shot a video of the runway edge to see where we lifted off. Even though the elevation at KAPA is 5,400 feet, we lifted off the pavement at around the 2,000-foot mark. It was 23 degrees C—8 degrees above standard—so the hot-and-high performance boast that Textron Aviation gives the CJ4 Gen2 was confirmed.

At 240 knots indicated, we climbed at a steady 2,400 fpm, and going through FL 200, we were still climbing at 2,300 fpm. At FL 290, we transitioned to Mach 0.64, up to 40,000 feet. With Denver’s busy airspace, we weren’t able to make an uninterrupted climb, but we still made it to FL 400 in about 17 minutes—4 minutes above the app estimate for a straight climb.

At 40,000 feet with max cruise power, we were showing 438 ktas. At that altitude, the FMS told us we could get to either Chicago or Los Angeles in about one hour and 40 minutes—less than two hours total, including the climb. But the best speed is realized at 33,000 feet, so we descended and found a steady 451 ktas, burning a bit more than 1,400 pounds of fuel per side. Again, we were a bit on the light side, but it’s nice to be able to see the promised numbers in real life, and at ISA+2, the flight conditions were not helping the jet.

The Pro Line 21 tracked the DUNNN3 arrival beautifully. All we had to do was manage the altitudes and speeds. The speed brakes are a clean-sheet design for the Gen2. Unlike most speed brakes, which are either on or off—or have multiple stops—you can slide the lever to select the exact amount that you need. The speed brakes can be applied at any speed but need to be stowed before you reach 50 feet agl. There is an exception that allows for landings with the speed brakes on at airports with steep approaches and short runways, Woodward said.

I could tell that the airplane was designed with the pilot in mind. It’s simply a joy to hand-fly, with a balanced control feel. Coming in on final, I got an unintentional demo of the TCAS II system. We were lined up for 17L, and another airplane was approaching Runway 17R, prompting the system to tell us to climb. Because Woodward didn’t see the offending airplane, he immediately took the controls and went around. I was happy to fly another lap around the patch.

Our second attempt was clear of alerts, and once again, I lined up with 17L. The airplane felt totally stable on short final at around 115 kias, and the trailing-link gear helped me make a smooth landing. I felt no reason to stress the brakes or wheels to attempt a max performance landing, so we simply rolled down to taxiway A16 and taxied back to the FBO.

The CJ4 Gen2 still exhibits the terrific performance that the model was intended to from the start. With the latest upgrades, Textron Aviation has a lot to be proud of at the top of the CJ series.

What Makes the CJ4 Different?

With seats for up to 11 occupants, the Citation CJ4 Gen2 is definitely on the top edge of the single-pilot spectrum. And size isn’t the only thing that makes the Gen2 stand out from its 525-type brethren.

The CJ4 Gen2 has a closed-center hydraulic system, which operates at 3,000 psi versus 1,500 psi in the other CJs. This system enables the modular feature of the speed brakes and allows for the use of multiple hydraulic functions simultaneously. The open center system of the other CJs only allows for one function at a time.

The CJ4 was also the first in the 525 series with a single-point refueling system and an electrically heated windshield, enabled through the airplane’s electrical system which has two alternators.

But the main difference is in the wing. All of the other CJs have straight wings of various lengths based on size, but the CJ4 Gen2’s has a 12.5-degree sweep. In fact, the wing design is closer to that of the Citation Sovereign. Boundary-layer energizers at the leading edges help maintain laminar flow over the wing, and two stall strips at the wing root help reduce the stall speed by causing the root of the wing stall first.

Like the Sovereign, the CJ4 Gen2 has three speed-brake panels on each side. The design team also incorporated other features from the Citation Sovereign’s wing that allow for slower approach speeds. So, even though the CJ4 Gen2 is a bigger, heavier airplane, the VREF speeds are comparable to or slower than the other CJs.

The post We Fly: Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen 2 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.