Maintenance Training For The Aircraft Gets EASA Nod
A couple of CJ4 developments were announced Monday by Cessna at
EBACE, including word that Citation CJ4 business jet is nearing
type certification from the EASA. “The final stages of
the approvals process are underway and we expect certification very
soon,” said Trevor Esling, Cessna’s vice president,
International Sales.
The CJ4 gained FAA certification in March 2010. The CJ4 made its
European debut at the European Business Aviation Convention and
Exhibition in Geneva in May 2010 and the first European delivery
took place in October of that year.
The Citation CJ4 is the newest and largest member of the popular
CJ family of business jets, which also includes the CJ2+ and CJ3.
The CJ4 is approved for single-pilot operations and shares a common
pilot type rating with the other CJs, meaning a pilot rated to fly
any one of the CJs is rated to fly them all.
The CJ4 has a range of 2,002 nautical miles and a top speed of
453 knots. The aircraft has a takeoff roll of 3,130 feet at maximum
takeoff weight. The CJ4 is powered by two Williams International
FJ44-4A FADEC engines and features a four-screen Collins Pro Line
21 avionics suite. Retail price for a typically equipped CJ4 is $9
million.
In a related development, Cessna also announced Monday that it
has won approval by the European Aviation Safety Authority for its
MX Advantage Part 147 maintenance training courses for the Citation
CJ4. Cessna expects to deliver the first EASA-approved CJ4 into
Europe later this year. “Having these approvals means the
operator taking delivery of a CJ4 can have an EASA qualified
engineering staff in a more timely fashion,” said Chad
Martin, Cessna manager of training. “With the practical
training aspect of the MX Advantage program, the students are
provided access to experienced Cessna instructors and to actual
aircraft.”
The training program covers theory and practical CJ4 Airframe
and Engine (B1-T1) and Avionics (B2-T2) engineer courses. The MX
Advantage courses currently are taught at Cessna facilities in
Wichita by FlightSafety International and Cessna. Training will
move to a new FlightSafety maintenance training facility dedicated
to Cessna programs in 2012. The facility, with more than 65,000
square feet, will accommodate up to four Citations and will be
adjacent to Cessna’s Wichita Citation Service Center.
MX Advantage is an exclusive Cessna/FlightSafety training
program that currently offers theoretical B1-T1 and B2-T2 courses
for almost all Citation and Caravan models. Cessna is working
toward EASA approval for its practical training courses for these
aircraft as well.