Buying A Cessna Citation? Here’s What You Need To Know When You Find A Cessna Citation For Sale
The Cessna “Citation” arguably is the most famous business jet aircraft series. Cessna, a subsidiary of Textron company, has built over 75,000 birds under the “citation” nest, marking the most popular and largest business jet family in the world now.
Therefore, buying a Citation jet will be a better choice for your routine business travel. So, let’s dig in and find out how these private jet series became so appreciated in the aircraft business market and its key aspects before owning a “Citation”.
BRIEF HISTORY OF CESSNA CITATION JETS
The first Cessna Citation, which was “citation 1”, came into operation by Cessna (later Textron Company) in the late 1960s, fulfilling the requirement of small group business travel. Keeping the unique fuselage design, with a single pilot variant and an avionics update, the variants like Citation II, III, and IV entered service in late 1980.
Furthermore, engine upgrades and technology improvements, the stretched versions of the citation, were prominent at the beginning of the 21st century. Each man-crafted jets like Citation CJ4 Gen2, Citation Latitude, Citation X, Citation Sovereign, and Citation Mustang are famous for unique specs like speed, range, low operation cost, versatility, and simplicity.
ALL-TIME FAVOURITE
The following Cessna Citation models can be considered “All-time favorites” business jets that are prominently operated by executive travelers and luxury jet setters. Each business jet has unique characteristics, and the buying prices for these are approximately $10 million. Normally, the price can vary depending on factors such as the manufacturing year, total time of the airframe, avionics upgrades, maintenance schedule, and overall condition of the aircraft, including the paint and interior.
CESSNA CITATION X
The Cessna Citation X (10) is the first product that hit the 500 knot mark and broke the “slowtation” rumor badge from the Citation family. The excellent sweptback wing design, powerful engines (2 Rolls-Royce AE3007C2 Turbofan engines), high swept T-shaped tail, and low drag fuselage design increased the speed to 527ktas and the range to 3000 miles or more.
The wing design passes underneath the cabin, making the perfect height for the cabin area, though it was tight in some respects. The standard cabin configuration can be reconfigured but also includes densely cushioned seats with wide cushions that give a first-class luxury feeling for eight passengers. The aircraft is equipped with safety systems like TCAS II, TAWS, ADS-B out capability, CVR, and other standard emergency equipment and advanced flight deck technology.
The average price of pre-owned Citation X ranges from $9-$10 million, while the current price is $20.6 million – $21.5 million in the recent price list of the company. The direct operating cost of this bird is typically around $3,780 per flight hour, and the annual fixed cost is around $149,498 for flying 450 hours. The total variable cost, including fuel, oil, maintenance, and crew costs, is about $1,498,950 for flying 450 hours. Market depreciation is about $640,000, and for revenue generation, the retail charter rate is around $3,800 per flight hour.
*market depreciation will vary due to the supply and high demand post 2022, we already see huge issue sourcing any private jets.
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If you fly more than 50 hours annually and require luxury cabin comfort, the Cessna X is a great option. When purchasing Citation X under your name, the standup cabin space and additional amenities such as a spacious lavatory, full galley, and a pressurized and heated 82-cubic foot baggage compartment will provide additional value. But it is quite expensive in terms of ownership costs apart from the price tag. Nevertheless, this midsize jet can be used for revenue generation like jet card membership.
CESSNA CITATION MUSTANG (510)
The Cessna Citation Mustang is one of the most famous and smallest private jets on the aviation market today. It is the world’s first fully certified entry-level business jet and includes a pleasant, comfortable four-passenger cabin compartment.
This very light jet came into operation in 2006, and by the end of its production in 2017, there were 479 Mustangs in the aviation market. The Citation Mustang has a max. speed of 340 ktas and a range of 1167 nm. This light jet is ideal for short business trips of 2-3 hours and is well known for revenue generation as a charter flight.
About 1.8m³ luggage capacity is available in the aircraft, and the standard cabin configuration comprises of fully-reclinable leather seats that come with work tables, armrests, storage consoles, and power outlets that offer first-class comfort. The jet airframe is primarily of aluminum alloy construction, with a three-spar wing.
The significant feature of the Mustang design is the high lift airfoil wing design. This design encompasses achieving low stall speeds and high-speed cruises. This light jet includes the Garmin G100 avionics system, which significantly reduces the pilot’s workload and provides operational data exquisitely to the pilot view.
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The average pre-owned price of a Cessna Citation Mustang is $1.3 million. The low-end 2006-2010 Cessna Citation Mustang can cost around $900,000. As the jet is quite small the operating cost is lower than other similar jets. Total fixed cost and variable cost are approximately $66,762 & $471,937. The hourly breakdown is about $1,197 of flying 450 hours per annum.
If you are planning to have a private jet just fit for your business and family travel, the ideal VLJ is the Mustang of the citation family. Its speed is relatively slow for a jet but fast for general aviation.
CESSNA CITATION CJ4
The Cessna Citation CJ series is another famous series of the Citation family that is popular for its availability and competitive price range. The latest CJ4, Gen 2, is the upgraded version of the former CJ jets in areas of passenger capacity, interior cabin design, and entertainment technology.
As the largest member of the CJ family, the CJ4 is designed to accommodate 8 passengers with a high-quality ergonomic seat design and an improved cabin area of 2.18m³. It has the longest range of the CJ series (1825nm) and a speed of 435kts. The huge difference between the CJ4 and its siblings is the Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite upgrade, which is more familiar to pilots who have experience with the traditional flight management system (FMS). This jet has a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 17110lb and a fuel capacity of 5828 lb, which can carry 1000 lb of payloads.
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The average pre-owned price of a Cessna Citation CJ4 ranges from $7-$9 million, which is slightly more expensive than competitors like the Phenom 300, but roughly less than the price of the Lear 75. The operating cost is around $1,700 per flight hour, and the annual fixed cost is around $428,000.
When compared with competitors like PC-4 and Phenom 300, CJ4 cabin space is slightly smaller. But the “couch” seat configuration is very popular in CJ4 jets, which provides an extra luxurious experience in flight. It is a great choice for you to buy this jet if you are concerned about the speed of the range, as it has the highest speed and the longest range compared to other Citation business jets.
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When comparing Cessna Citation Popular business jets, we can come to the conclusion that a pre-owned Citation Jet costs under $10 million. There is a slight variation in the overall operating cost of each aircraft. Not only that, each jet’s specs cover different customer needs. So, it is a better choice to own a Cessna Citation jet for your routine business and private travel.
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