Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES
Cessna has delivered the first Citation CJ1 business jet, and says the Citation CJ2 is on track for US Federal Aviation Administration certification in May and delivery early next year.
The initial CJ1, an upgraded version of the CitationJet, was delivered to an envelope manufacturing company at the end of March. It is the first of an unspecified orderbook, which Cessna says "extends into the fourth quarter of 2001". The CJ1 was unveiled in late 1998 as the CitationJet successor.
The three CJ2 flight-test aircraft in the certification effort have amassed 1,008 flight hours between them, of which 720 have been logged by the "production conformed" prototype. Two other aircraft, 001 and 002, have flown for 193h and 95h respectively, and are being used primarily for autopilot and avionics certification. They also collect systems and performance data for the FlightSafety International training course and simulator. The prototype is completing field performance tests and has recently finished stall characteristic tests, trim certification and anti-skid work.
Meanwhile, the fourth Citation CJ2 was expected to make its maiden flight as Flight International went to press. Cessna says the programme is "on schedule" to support the start of customer demonstration flights and tours in the fourth quarter of this year. The aircraft is a larger version of the CJ1 with higher-thrust engines.
<li> Wipaire, a Minnesota-based conversion specialist, has secured US and Canadian certification for the installation of floats on new Cessna 206 Stationairs and T206 Turbo Stationairs. Cessna says the Stationair, available with a factory-installed float provision kit, is its final new single-engine piston to be granted float certification, joining the new 172S, 182S, 206H and T206H. Wipline 3450 floats are fitted to the Stationair, which is available in amphibious and pure float versions.
Source: Flight International
