Textron Aviation Unveils Citation CJ3 Gen2 Light Jet On NBAA-BACE Eve
LAS VEGAS—On the eve of the opening of NBAA-BACE, Textron Aviation introduced the new Citation CJ3 Gen2, an upgraded version of its CJ3+ light jet and the most comprehensive of its Citation Gen2 product upgrades to date.
The Gen2, with a base price of $10.99 million, is expected to enter service in 2025. A mockup, with a distinctive teal, black and beige exterior, is on static display at Henderson Executive Airport. The company unveiled the Citation M2 Gen2, the Citation CJ4 Gen2 and Citation XLS Gen2, most recently upgraded to the Citation Ascend, in 2021.
“As a pilot of the CJ3 series, I appreciate the aircraft’s excellent range, payload and efficiency, along with new productivity and comfort features,” says Ron Draper, Textron Aviation president and CEO. “That’s what we’re really excited to be rolling out.”
In fact, Draper says, “The CJ3+ is my favorite airplane to fly in our product lineup. I just love the combination of everything in the airplane—the flight deck, the performance of the airplane. I’m glad we’re getting a nice set of feature upgrades on this.”
Improvements to the cockpit and cabin for the Gen2 iteration were the result of input from Customer Advisory Board members made up of current pilot-owners and mechanics. Members visited the Wichita-based company at least twice to work with Textron engineers.
“The most rewarding experience in all of this was bringing in our customers and asking them, ‘What do you think?’” says Christi Tannahill, Textron Aviation senior vice president of customer experience. “Some have been flying this airplane for 20 years. They love it, but there are a few things to tweak to make it exceptional. All of them are pilots, so they have been focused on the cockpit.”
They also brought along their spouses, and some brought their children, with a focus on the cabin.
“We really got a view of what everybody wants in the airplane, whether you turn left and you’re going to fly the airplane, or you turn right, and you want that wonderful customer experience,” Tannahill says.
In the cockpit, the CJ3 Gen 2, approved for single-pilot operation, features Garmin G3000 software and hardware with Garmin autothrottles to reduce pilot workloads, an optional enhanced vision system, intuitive touch screen interface and Garmin GDL60 for aircraft connectivity, including remote transmission of flight plans, automatic database updates and wireless transmission of aircraft diagnostic data.
One of the most visible changes in the cockpit is the additional legroom for pilots made possible by 4.5 in. of added seat tracking for a more comfortable flight.
The CJ3 Gen 2 features new entryway steps with enhanced lighting and an assist handle.
Inside the mockup, the cabin features rapidly renewable, responsibly harvested and 100% sustainable products, “something that continues to be very important to us as well as our customers,” Tannahill says.
“We spend a lot of time on making sure that our suppliers are in line with all of the regulations,” she says. All fabrics are rapidly renewable and flame retardant, leathers are sustainable, reliable and biodegradable at the end of their lifecycle, and carpets are made from either wool or silk and not petroleum products. The silk, for example, is created from natural cocoons left behind from the silkworms, which are harvested and spun together for commercial use, Tannahill says. The process of collecting the silk creates little waste.
“Sustainable can absolutely and does mean beautiful,” Tannahill says. “All of these are options. For every piece of design in the airplane, whether it be carpet, veneer or the overheads, there’s a sustainable option for everything.”
Customers may customize the CJ3 Gen2’s cabin with a choice between a fixed side-facing seat, a refreshment center for expanded cabinet storage or a folding side-facing seat for an additional passenger or luggage. They may choose an optional high-power outlet for a coffee machine, ice and trash storage and the addition of a cabin master control switch panel.
The cabin includes new seats with base and floor tracking and an enhanced optional swivel option, new accent lights with ambient lighting that can change colors, USB-C power at every seat, wireless charging in the main cabin, top-loading executive and slimline tables and lighted side pockets for additional storage. It also includes deeper and larger cupholders to accommodate 20-oz. Yeti tumblers or other containers.
At the rear, the lavatory has new CoolView skylights for natural light and an optional sink and vanity design with a dedicated water supply. The lavatory is also now externally serviceable.
“This is a jet that feels as good to the pilot as it does to the passenger,” says Jimmy Beeson, Textron Aviation senior manager of technical marketing. “We are seeing strong demand for this aircraft today, and we are taking orders.”
The CJ3 525B has been in service nearly 20 years.
A CJ3 525B prototype first flew in April 2003 with the first customer delivery on Nov. 23, 2004, according to Aviation Week Network Fleet Discovery data. The first CJ3+, an upgraded CJ3, was delivered Sept. 26, 2014. To date, 670 have been delivered, including 255 CJ3+ versions, with 661 currently in service.
The aircraft, which seats up to nine passengers, has a maximum range of 2,040 nm and a maximum payload of 2,135 lb. It retains the Williams International FJ44-3A engines.
