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Cessna Citation family

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Cessna Citation family

The Cessna Citation is a market brand-name used by American manufacturer Cessna for its line of business jets. Rather than one particular model of aircraft, the name applies to several "families" of turbofan-powered aircraft that have been produced over the years. Within each of the six distinct families, aircraft design improvements, market pressures and re-branding efforts have resulted in a number of variants, so that the Citation lineage has become quite complex. Military variants include the T-47 and UC-35 series aircraft.

The 7,000th Citation was delivered on June 27, 2016, forming the largest business jet fleet. The first Citation was put into service in 1972 and more than 35 million flight hours have been logged since.

Citation product lineage overview

  • Cessna FanJet 500, the prototype for the original Citation family, first flew September 15, 1969.
  • Citation I (Model 500) originally called the Citation 500 before Cessna finally settled on Citation I, by which time the design had changed quite a bit from the FanJet 500. The original Citation I was one of the first light corporate jets to be powered by turbofan engines. Production ceased in 1985.
  • Citation I/SP (Model 501) single-pilot operations
  • Citation II (Model 550) a larger stretched development of the Model 500 first produced in 1978. Initially replaced by the S/II in production, but was brought back and produced side-by-side with the S/II until the Bravo was introduced.
  • T-47 (Model 552) is the military designation of the Citation II. The U.S. Navy procured 15 T-47A aircraft as radar system trainers, and the DoD purchased five OT-47B models for drug interdiction reconnaissance.
  • Citation II/SP (Model 551) single-pilot operations
  • Citation S/II (Model S550) incorporated a number of improvements, especially an improved wing. Concurrent production with the II until Citation V introduction in 1989.
  • Citation Bravo (Model 550) updated II and S/II with new PW530A engines, landing gear and Primus 1000 avionics. The last Citation Bravo rolled off the production line in late 2006, ending a nearly 10 year production run of 337 aircraft.
  • Citation V (Model 560), growth variant of the Citation II/SP JT15D-5A
  • Citation Ultra (Model 560) upgraded Citation V with JT15D-5D, EFIS instruments
  • UC-35A Army transport version of the V Ultra.
  • UC-35C Marine Corps version of the V Ultra.
  • Citation Encore (Model 560) upgraded Citation Ultra with PW535A engines, a heated wing leading edge, and improved trailing-link landing gear
  • UC-35B Army transport version of the Encore.
  • UC-35D Marine Corps version of the Encore.
  • Citation Encore+ (Model 560) upgraded Encore includes FADEC and a redesigned avionics.
  • Citation III (Model 650) all-new design.
  • Citation IV was a proposed upgrade of the III, but was cancelled by Cessna.
  • Citation VI (Model 650) was a low-cost derivative of the III which had a different avionics suite and non-custom interior design.
  • Citation VII (Model 650) was an upgrade of the III that was in production from 1992 to 2000.
  • Citation X (Model 750) (X as in the Roman numeral for ten), an all-new design, the fastest civilian aircraft in the world since the retirement of Concorde. 24 feet (7.3 m) of stand-up cabin space.
  • Citation X+, originally called the Ten
  • Citation Excel (Model 560XL), utilized a shortened Citation X fuselage combined with the V Ultra's straight wing and the V's tail; used new PW545A engines. Includes a stand-up cabin.
  • Citation XLS, evolved from the Excel
  • Citation XLS+ which includes FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) and a redesigned avionics system.
  • Citation Sovereign (Model 680), utilizes a stretched version of the Excel's fuselage with an all-new moderately swept wing. Stand-up cabin is 24 feet (7.3 m) long.
  • CitationJet (Model 525) essentially an all-new design, the only carry-over being the Citation I's forward fuselage. The 525 series models all feature a shorter cabin; Not a stand-up.
  • CJ1 (Model 525) Improved version of the CitationJet
  • CJ1+ (Model 525) Improved version of the CJ1 with new engines, avionics, and FADEC
  • Citation M2
  • CJ2 (Model 525A) Stretched version of the CJ1.
  • CJ2+ (Model 525A) Improved version of the CJ2 with increased performance, improved avionics, and FADEC.
  • CJ3 (Model 525B) Extension of the CJ2.
  • CJ4 (Model 525C) An extension of the CJ3, with new Williams FJ44-4 engines and the moderately swept wing borrowed from the Sovereign. The first flight of the CJ4 is slated for the first half of 2008 with customer deliveries to follow in 2010.
  • Model 526 A twin-seat tandem military trainer developed by Cessna from the CitationJet for the JPATS competition.
  • Citation Mustang (Model 510), a new Very Light Jet (VLJ), even smaller and lighter than the CitationJet I.
  • Citation Columbus (Model 850), a future intercontinental large cabin corporate jet. (Canceled)
  • Citation Latitude (Model 680A) - The project was announced at the annual NBAA convention in October, 2011. It was launched as a larger aircraft than the Cessna Citation XLS+ and cheaper than the Cessna Citation Sovereign. The aircraft will seat 9, and feature twin Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306D turbofan engines. Like other Citations, the Citation Latitude will feature a cruciform tail and all metal fuselage.
  • Citation Longitude (Model 700) - The project was announced in May 2012. It was perceived as the follow-on development to the now-canceled Citation Columbus. Its fuselage cross-section (83.25 inch circular section) is from the Citation Latitude. Cessna projected that first delivery would occur in late 2017. The aircraft will have a T-tail empennage, area-rule fuselage contouring, and 28.6° wing sweep. Powered by two Honeywell HTF7700L turbofan engines, rated at 7,550 lb (33.58 kN) thrust. The wings will incorporate moderate winglets. Construction will be aluminum for both wing and fuselage.

    • References

    Cessna Citation family Wikipedia
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