The single life

No unmanageable surprises await the pilot on Cessna's Bravo light twinjet

Paul Phelan/Cairns

Cessna's Bravo, a significant upgrade of its Citation II, has been developed with the goals of keeping systems simple, flying characteristics as manageable as those of its piston and turboprop predecessors, and prices competitive with those of the more sophisticated turboprops.

Other twinjet manufacturers have overlooked the potential of a single pilot light jet, although an unexpectedly large number of private, corporate and charter buyers have been attracted by the ability to fly without a co-pilot. The appeal lies in operating economies, crewing flexibility/mobility and training considerations.

This is particularly true in an operating environment where annual utilisation is typically fairly low, often resulting in two-pilot crews not flying together frequently enough to extract the full benefits of two-crew flight, in terms of the kind of instinctive teamwork it generates and the development and refinement of standard operating procedures.

A further factor, asserts Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority chairman Dick Smith, an enthusiastic private pilot with several impressive single pilot achievements on record, is that many owner pilots simply prefer not to share the flying with an employee.

The outcome is a sound aeroplane, which pilots consistently find less complex than Cheyennes, Conquests and King Airs, the engine/propeller management requirements of which add to pilot workload, with lower operating altitudes also resulting in more in-weather flying. At entry level, the Cessna jets are not so much faster as to create time response problems for any pilot who can handle their turboprop competitors, even though they consume more track miles while in-cockpit tasks are performed.

The confusingly titled gaggle of Citations - CitationJet, Citation 1,11, Bravo and Ultra - are still the only civil twinjets certificated for single pilot flight in most countries. The certification in itself was a notable achievement, because most regulatory authorities were frankly dubious about the ability of unaccompanied pilots to handle jet workloads.

The new Citation Bravo variant lightens the pilot's task list even further. Apart from the improved thrust and fuel performance of its new high-bypass Pratt & Whitney Canada PW530A turbofans, the primary keys to that enhancement have been the retention of the Citation's uncomplicated handling characteristics, and the application of Honeywell's Primus 1000 integrated avionics system.

Citation Bravo owner Dick Smith invited Flight International to evaluate the aircraft on a 165km (90nm) flight from Bankstown (Sydney) to Goulburn and return, with the opportunity also to fly a global positioning system (GPS) runway approach on trial at Goulburn.

Externally, the Bravo is similar in appearance to the Citation II, but closer examination reveals one enhancement designed to maintain competition with turboprops without taking the Bravo into a higher price bracket. Thrust reversers are now standard. The stiff main landing gear oleo legs, which gave the earlier Citations a reputation for firm landings, have been replaced by the same long-travel trailing-link units used in the Citation X. These occupy more wing space and so reduce fuel capacity, but the new turbofans have 15% more thrust and 15% better specific fuel consumption (SFC), so the result is a 15% improvement in range and endurance over the earlier model.

Fixed and improved

"Cessna simply went all around the aeroplane, identified things that needed fixing or improving, and fixed or improved them," Smith observes. "Here's an example," he pointed out on the walkaround. "The old Citation's oil dipstick was hard to reach, and left the possibility of being put back insecurely, which could cost you an engine. This model has a sight gauge on the oil reservoirs at eye level."

Bypass ratio of the new PW530A is 3.23 up from 2.62 on the Citation II's JT15D-4, providing the best SFC of any engine in the P&WC family. Rated take-off thrust is 12.8kN (2,890lb) up to 26¼C. New fuel/oil heat exchangers use fuel to cool the oil and oil to warm the fuel, eliminating the need for large oil cooler scoops, and for anti-icing fuel additive. A "cookie cutter" diffuser at the rear of the exhaust duct reduces noise and enhances thrust.

The fore and aft baggage compartments are unpressurised. The 0.5m3 (17.5ft3) nose locker holds up to 159kg (350lb), but loading is best started from the rear. The aft toilet can also be used to carry up to 0.78m3 of carry-on baggage. The large, 0.8m3, aft luggage locker can take up to 227kg, and also provides access to the air cycle machine. Separately, the Bravo offers an electrically operated freon vapour cycle air conditioning system, optional but recommended for hot countries, and installed in Smith's aircraft. This can be operated from a ground power unit and provides quick and effective cabin cooling immediately power is available.

The visual appearance of the huge all-aluminium wing and the simple composite flaps explain the Bravo's docile handling characteristics, and the reason why no leading edge devices are necessary. Other advantages of the wing, with its modest loading, are a relatively low angle of attack, which improves high altitude performance, and (compared with laminar flow designs) a better tolerance to ice build-up. The downside, relatively insignificant in this kind of aircraft, is a sharp drag rise above Mach 0.65. The Bravo's maximum true airspeed is 401kt (740km/h), while approach reference speeds range from 95-111kt, according to weight.

The Bravo has three separate pitot/static systems and air data computers, and Smith observes that, at 40,000ft, it is unusual to see more than 1-2kt of instrument disagreement. The leading edges of wing and empennage are de-iced by pneumatic boots, while the engine intakes and windshield are heated by bleed air.

The external paint finish is excellent, enhanced by polished stainless steel engine-intake surrounds. The new separate airstair is stowed inside the door and is easy to operate. The 1.5m-wide cabin is elegantly comfortable with leather seating and classy fittings.

As part of the package, Cessna provides training with FlightSafety International for pilots new to the type or for those upgrading from the Citation II, like Smith. "I did about five days on the simulator at Wichita, most of which is spent getting used to the systems, but it's time well spent," he says.

Honeywell has integrated several subsystems into a comprehensive and interactive "fail-passive" avionics suite, which includes:

Primus 1000 flight guidance system electronic flight instrument system, including three 200 x 180mm interchangeable displays; air data system Primus 650 weather radar AA-300 radio altimeter system Primus integrated radios An (optional) Universal UNS-1K flight management system.

Getting into the pilot seat without stomping on the centre console is less difficult for the young and supple, but, in the Bravo, is made easier by an extra 80mm of space forward of the bulkhead. Once seated, space and comfort level are more than ample, and all controls are within easy reach. It is here that I began to appreciate how Cessna has brought everything together to lighten the unassisted jet pilot's workload.

With just over 1,200kg of fuel, ramp weight was 5,445kg. The charts (in pounds) indicated a 97kt IAS V1 decision speed, 102kt VR for rotation, and a V2 climb speed of 114kt IAS.

An (optional) voice checklist doubles as a co-pilot, operated by a switch on the control panel. This is a wise and useful addition for single pilot operation, and can be backtracked or stopped at any point, and resumed when the pilot is ready. Each engine is started by pushing the starter button, bringing the thrust lever up to the idle detent at 8% N2 (turbine RPM), checking for fuel flow, and waiting for light-off. Temperature peaks at a modest 515¼C (with a maximum allowable 700¼C). The generator is turned on automatically, providing for a cross-generator start without needing to wait for the battery to recharge.

The cockpit is almost silent and a headset is unnecessary. The aircraft, which is steered conventionally and easily through the rudder pedals up to 20¼, tends to pick up speed while taxiing, especially on Bankstown's downhill taxiways, and it is helpful to crack open one of the thrust reversers to disperse some forward thrust and spare the brakes. Beyond 20¼, in a tight spot, differential power and braking can provide up to 95¼ of steering authority. The carbon brakes are smooth, free from grab and powerful in all regimes, supported by a digital anti-skid system. The need for maximum energy stops is unlikely because of the Bravo's low runway speeds.

Firm pushback

Either 0¼ or 15¼ flap settings are available for take-off, in case a 15¼ setting is too limiting to meet second segment climb requirements. As the aircraft was well below the 6,714kg maximum take-off weight, and the temperature was close to ISA, we selected 15¼ flap.

Thrust was run up to the preset take-off limit while the aircraft strained against the brakes and, at brakes release, the pilot is pushed firmly back against the seat. The 97kt V1 take-off safety speed appeared almost simultaneously with rotation speed (102kt) VR and, by the time we had rotated to a 12¼ nose-up attitude, we had reached V2, at 114kt. We were well above the graph-predicted 35ft over the runway at 3,000ft.

In the crowded circuit at Bankstown, Sydney's major general aviation airport, the advantages of glass cockpit technology to the solo jet pilot quickly became evident. The flight director indicated a climb attitude without the need for a full instrument scan, providing more time to fly on a see-and-be-seen basis, with an excellent field of view from the huge windscreen and unexaggerated body angle. In seconds, we were clear of the circuit area and calling Sydney for clearance. The value of a pictorial navigation display to a busy single pilot (options are plan view, heading up or north up) cannot be overstated as an aid to situational awareness. I found this easy to follow, with the option to display various scales and all waypoints.

Climb speed, even at a relaxed cruise-climb power of 84% N1 at our modest take-off weight, was 200kt IAS, less 1kt for each 1,000ft of altitude. Normal climb power is 87% fan speed (N2), whereas earlier Citations sometimes reached fan speeds of up to 103%.

At the 10,000 ft check, instead of resetting the altimeter subscale to 1,013 millibars in the usual way, the pilot simply pushes the "standard" button. At 10,000ft, still climbing at about 3,000ft/min (15m/s), we corrected climb power to 87%, and rate of climb picked up to 3,300ft/min. The touch of a button brings up all VORs and all airports on the navigation display. The planned level of 24,000ft was reached in under 7min, 57km from Bankstown with 123kg of fuel consumed. Cruise climb to 43,000ft at our weight, according to the chart, would take only 21min and 195km, for 212kg. We briefly went to high-speed cruise, which achieved 398kt TAS and a consumption rate of 650kg/h. Subsequently, a more conservative long range cruise produced 288kt TAS for 426kg/h.

Manual flying is a pleasure at altitude, and it was an advantage, while evaluating the systems and performance and taking notes, to have the GPS-based UNS-1K three-dimensional flight management system tracking our progress, up to the point of a reminder that we had reached our descent point for Goulburn.

GPS Approach

A high speed 3,000ft/min descent was begun with 74km to go, and the navigation system flew us to a predetermined waypoint for a GPS non-precision approach. The Universal system, not a standard Cessna installation, is the only one which will actually provide a glideslope indication on the instrument landing system (ILS) indicator. The complete approach was in the database; we selected "menu" and "arrive" and the system told us that the GPS approach was available. It then tracked us to the intermediate approach fix, and on to the final approach fix.

We were indicating 196kt when we selected one stage of flap. We activated and followed the voice checklist, holding on the landing checklist. Because the GPS approach is still on trial, we could not couple the pseudo-ILS pitch signal to the autopilot, but it calculated and indicated a glideslope which we flew manually. The system confirmed that we had receiver autonomous integrity monitoring for at least 15min either side of the whole approach. We had to be at the intermediate approach fix at 4,600ft, a job made easier by the UNS 1K's vertical navigation capability. Once on the track, we descended to 3,800ft. The yellow glideslope indicator is followed manually, and gave us a beautiful pseudo-ILS approach, from which we broke off for a normal circuit and landing, with a low Vref of 102kt. On final approach, it felt very much like a Cessna 404, one of the most docile piston twins.

Smooth touchdown

The new trailing link gear proved its point with a smooth touchdown, and the reverse thrust was cracked, but not operated, because the combination of the low Vref and the immensely effective carbon brakes could easily have stopped us in half the runway's length. The thrust reversers are not powered below 80kt, but are still effective for countering residual thrust. The flight consumed 363kg of fuel from Bankstown to Goulburn, and we had been airborne for 38min, including our GPS approach.

On the return flight and still outside controlled airspace, we sampled general handling. The Bravo is a real pleasure to fly throughout the speed range, once again resembling its piston and turboprop counterparts. Stall characteristics are benign, although there is a mild wing drop tendency if you persist in forcing the aircraft past the noticeable stick shaker and aerodynamic buffeting. The addition of thrust quickly flew us out of a stall without loss of height. Speedbrakes were very effective in a steep descent to Bankstown, and a second soft landing seemed to confirm the qualities of the new undercarriage configuration. Given Cessna's systems conversion training, no single pilot who is competent on its piston, turboprop or jet predecessors should expect unmanageable surprises on the Bravo.

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