Swept-Wing Citation Will Feature More Room, Single-Point Refueling

Cessna told ANN several weeks ago that this year's National Business Aviation Association conference in Orlando, FL would be a big one for the company... and as promised, Cessna is already having a BIG show. In addition to announcing a proof-of-concept program for a large-cabin business jet, Cessna also formally launched the new Citation CJ4 business jet at the show Monday, with more than 70 orders already on the books.

"We've used new technology developed from our latest jet models, such as the Citation Mustang and the Citation Sovereign, as well as advances targeted specifically at the CJ4, to create an airplane that is truly a combination of top-notch engineering advances," said Cessna Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Jack J. Pelton. "The CJ4 offers the strongest performance and payload balance yet in the CJ series, with more standard features and passenger comforts than ever before. Rather than just a stretched CJ3, the Citation CJ4 is a true upward extension to the single-pilot-certified family of Citations. It does share the CJ pedigree and will certainly follow the success of the Citation CJ1+, CJ2+ and CJ3 (shown below), while offering the amenities and system architecture our customers in 2010 will demand."

As Aero-News reported, first flight of the CJ4 is scheduled for the first half of 2008 and entry into service is set for the first half of 2010. The introductory price is expected to be $7.995 million in 2006 dollars. Since launching the program several weeks ago, Cessna already has taken more than 70 orders for the new jet, 25 of which will be included in third quarter backlog for contracts that were completed by the end of September.

The newly engineered wing of the CJ4 is moderately swept. Some features of the wing are similar to the Sovereign, including the three upper speed brake panels on each wing, which allow the airplane to have the short field performance the CJ series is known for. The CJ4 can takeoff from runways as short as 3,300 feet and land on runways as short as 2,665 feet.

The new Williams International FJ44-4A electronically controlled (FADEC) engine will debut on the CJ4. The twin engines each provide 3,400 pounds of thrust, compared to 2,820 pounds of the CJ3's FJ44-3A. The aircraft will be certified for operations up to 45,000 feet. The electric rudder and aileron trim are new features, as is single-point refueling for the aircraft.

Passengers boarding will find a wider cabin door like the Mustang, new generation seat design with increased head and shoulder room, a total of four inches more foot room in the cabin, and more storage when compared to the CJ3. The window placements are positioned for optimal passenger viewing.

The CJ4 will have a standard integrated cabin management system for lighting, electric shades, and a home-theater-like digital entertainment suite. The system will allow a selection of media, such as DVD, CD, MP3 and XM satellite radio. Accommodations for other devices, such as iPods, are also included. And, not only will the pilots have split fan speed on the climate control in the cockpit, but passengers will be able to select their own temperature setting for the cabin.

Electrically heated glass windshields and side windows will provide a quieter environment in the cockpit. Pilots will find easier entry into the cockpit with an improved, ergonomic pedestal arrangement, as well as more than two inches more legroom than the CJ3. The Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite is a clean design and features four 8-by-10 inch flat screen displays. For a quick reference of how the airplane's main systems are performing, the engine indication and crew alerting system (EICAS) displays summarized systems operating parameters on the multifunctional displays (MFDs).

Two control display units (CDUs) are positioned on the tilt panel to provide the interface for radio tuning and the single flight management system (FMS). TAWS Class A (terrain awareness warning system), TCAS II (traffic alert and collision avoidance system), cockpit voice recorder (CVR), electronic charts, and XM graphical weather are just part of the standard capabilities.

An essential electrical bus architecture breaks new ground for this class of aircraft with multiple power sources to provide much higher reliability and greater situation awareness in the event of an electrical emergency. This functionality includes continued power to all four displays and the autopilot.

The Citation CJ4 will join the CJ1+, CJ2+ and CJ3, which have amassed more than 900 airplanes in the fleet with more than 1.3 million flight hours.

FMI: www.cessna.com