The first Cessna Citation CJ3 Gen2 has entered service, a milestone coming several months after manufacturer Textron Aviation achieved certification of the latest update to the nine-passenger light jet.
“Launch customers and longtime Citation owners Dave Mecartney and Shannon Day took delivery of their new aircraft this week,” Textron Aviation said on 8 January.
The company in 2023 revealed development of CJ3 Gen2, which is an update to the prior variant, the CJ3+, introduced by Textron Aviation last decade.
The CJ3 family sits between the smaller Citation M2 Gen2 and the larger Citation CJ4 Gen2.
Like the earlier CJ3+ variant, the CJ3 Gen2 has Garmin G3000 avionics, Williams International FJ44-3A engines and range of 2,040nm (3,778km). Maximum cruise speed is 416kt (770km/h).
But the CJ3 Gen2 gains an autothrottle as standard equipment, and Textron Aviation is offering the type with an optional enhanced vision system and a Garmin GDL 60 data-link, which can transmit flight plans, automatic database updates and aircraft diagnostics data, Textron has said.
Textron Aviation also gave the CJ3 Gen2 11.4cm (4.5in) of additional legroom.
The Federal Aviation Administration certificated the CJ3 Gen2 in October last year.
Textron Aviation is also developing the next version of the jet, the CJ3 Gen3, which will have Garmin’s autoland system. It aims to have that jet in service in 2027.
