CESSNA CITATION CJ3

Former Cessna CEO Russ Meyer Jr. considers the CJ3 to be his favorite Citation jet. Such a glowing endorsement—from the father of Cessna’s Citation line himself—speaks to the enduring popularity of this reliable sixth-generation Citation aircraft. Cessna has called the Citation CJ3 the “largest, fastest, and most advanced aircraft of its kind.”

The entire Citation series is renowned for a long track record of low operating costs (often under $1,500 an hour) and efficient performance. Their secret? Simplicity. Like its siblings, the Cessna Citation CJ3 eschews the complexities of competitor jets and impresses on fuel economy with twin Williams/Rolls-Royce turbofan engines.

However, the CJ3 is also bigger, better, and faster than its predecessor (the fan-favorite CJ2 of the early 2000s). Cessna took the CJ2 frame, stretched the cabin two feet, widened the wingspan by three feet, and upgraded the engines. The result? A spacious, fuel-efficient, high-flying light business jet with 480 pounds more takeoff thrust than the prior model.

The expanded passenger capacity and longer range of the Cessna Citation CJ3 make it a strict upgrade over other popular light aircraft options, such as the Embraer Phenom 100. But this is no surprise—it’s not easy to compete with the CJ3’s careful balance of comfort, speed, and low fuel burn.

With one of the longest cabins among jets in the light business class, the CJ3 has space for seven or eight passengers to stretch their legs. It also boasts tremendous baggage space (including aft ski tubes and golf club storage!) compared to other small jets.

Meanwhile, fourteen windows wash the cabin in natural light, and streamlined LED lighting makes the Citation CJ3 interior feel even more spacious. You’ll stay productive with in-flight WiFi, comfortable leather seating, folding writing tables, satellite telephone, and multiple 110-volt AC power outlets.

Cessna jets have universally strong safety statistics. To date, no Citation CJ3 jet (of the 416 produced by Cessna) has ever experienced a fatal accident. Nonfatal accidents have also been incredibly rare—and mainly attributed to pilot errors during landing. This fantastic record, a result of solid design and careful training, makes the CJ3 one of the safest jets available for private charter flights.

Simplicity and reliability are consistent themes in the design of the Cessna Citation CJ3. The Pro Line 21 avionics suite in the CJ3 cockpit (among the most advanced in its category) is fully integrated for straightforward operation and information management.

The aircraft’s expansive range (1,875 nautical miles with reserves) is a gift of twin Williams International FJ44-3A engines. They provide 2,820 pounds of thrust, making the jet an impressive climber with a comfortable ceiling of 45,000 feet—well above the cruising altitude of commercial airliners. Despite higher maximum takeoff weight and payload than the CJ2, the CJ3 also comes out ahead on both cruising speed and operating economics.

At the same time, Citation CJ3 jets regularly take off from runways as short as 3,450 feet and reach maximum altitude in only 27 minutes. Pilots are huge fans of the CJ3’s fast-climbing, short-takeoff performance even on runways at high altitudes (such as in Aspen, Colorado).

*Data as of November 2020. Based on flight activity of 98% of in-operation aircraft.

Contact our agents at Hangar 7 Aviation to book a Cessna Citation CJ3 jet for your next charter flight! Our team would love to talk more with you about the travel options and capabilities you’ll have with this economical and popular light private jet.

Few brands can match the efficiency of Cessna charter costs, especially with the Citation CJ3. Keep control of your budget and your flight with one of the safest jets on the market.