Cessna has briefed distributors on the Citation CJ3 light business jet, to be launched at the National Business Aviation Association show in Orlando, Florida, in September. Leaked reports say the CJ3 is a stretch of the CJ2, with a 0.6m (2ft) fuselage plug, more powerful Williams-Rolls FJ44 engines, a 10kt (20km/h) higher cruise speed and 450km (250nm) longer range. Price will be just under $6 million, compared with just over $5 million for the CJ2.
The CJ2 is itself a stretch of the original entry-level CitationJet, incorporating the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 large-display integrated avionics of the updated CJ1. The CJ2 sits close to the older but larger Citation Bravo in Cessna's business jet line-up, and it is not clear which of the aircraft the CJ3 will replace. Cessna may still build all three and simply let the market decide. The CitationJet family features a laminar-flow wing and T-tail, while the Bravo and larger Encore are the last to use the wing, fuselage and tail of the early Citations.
Source: Flight International
