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on the Cessna Citation CJ3
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The CJ3 is another of Cessna’s Model 525B CitationJet family, a stretch of the CJ2 light business jet. The extra length allows for seven windows on each side and an expanded cabin with increased wing span.
Unveiled at the September 2002 NBAA, the first flight of the prototype took place on 17 April, 2003 and that of the first pre-production aircraft on 11 August, 2003. It made its public debut at NBAA in October 2003 and the second pre-production aircraft made its first flight on 6 November, 2003. Overall around 900 hours in 540 sorties were completed across the three test aircraft, during which time the static test article had completed more than 200 test conditions, including 105,000 hours, equivalent to five life cycles, of landing gear testing.
The roll out ceremony took place on 13 February, 2004. It was FAA type certified in October 2004 and deliveries began in December of that year. EASA certification followed on 16 June, 2005.
The aircraft features a t-tail empennage with rear-mounted, podded turbofan engines. It is primarily of metal construction with low weight composites forming the fairings, wing tips and tailplane tips. Tapered three-spar wings attach to the lower fuselage, which in turn has a constant-diameter, circular cross-section.
The cockpit is designed for single pilot operation but can accommodate two crew members.
The cabin can accommodate up to eight people and is air conditioned, heated and pressurised. There is an in-flight accessible baggage compartment with external baggage access, and two more holds in the nose and tailcone.
The CJ3 is powered by two FADEC-controlled Williams FJ44-3A turbofans, each rated at 12.37kN and providing nearly 15 per cent additional take off thrust compared to the CJ2. It can cruise at Mach 0.737 for a distance of more than 1,900 nm, exceeding Textron’s predictions at the time. Engine certification was achieved on 31 July, 2004.
The CitationJet CJ3+ is an upgraded version of the CJ3. The programme launched on 20 March, 2014. Production commenced from number 451 on 28 May, and the first production-conforming CJ3+ flew on 28 July. The FAA approved certification in September of the same year, with EASA and ANAC doing so in May, 2015.
The CJ3+ has seating for up to nine passengers plus a belted lavatory, with 1,000 pounds of baggage capacity. The wing has a computer-sculpted airfoil that produces more lift with less drag.
The majority of the manufacturing of the Citation CJ3 aircraft is carried out on the CitationJet common production line in Wichita, Kansas.
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| World fleet | Charter fleet | Typical pax | Cabin volume | Cruise | Range | Years | |
| CJ3 | ●●● | ●● | ● | ●●●●●●●●● | ●●●●●●● | ●●●●●●●● | ●●●●●●●●●● |
| CJ3+ | ●●● | ●● | ● | ●●●●●●●●● | ●●●●●●● | ●●●●●●●● | ●●●●●●●●●● |
| April 17, 2022 | flyExclusive ramps up CJ3+ numbers for fractional impact |
| March 28, 2022 | JMI awarded ASC on Williams engines for CJ series |
| January 29, 2022 | Tamarack adds ASG to authorised service centre network |
| December 16, 2021 | PWI receives FAA PMA certification for LED ice light |
| October 13, 2021 | AirSprint inks deal to add three CJ3+ to fractional fleet |
| August 31, 2021 | Tamarack emerges largely unscathed from Chapter 11 |
| July 23, 2021 | ACI Jet joins authorised network of Tamarack |
| July 11, 2021 | Tamarack teams with FAA for winglet proficiency course |
| July 4, 2021 | CJ3+ ready to do the business for E-Aviation |
| May 31, 2021 | Magellan adds light and heavy options to card programme |
| April 6, 2021 | North American customer takes delivery of 600th CJ3 |
| March 9, 2021 | CJ3s tick all the boxes for Portuguese operator |
| March 1, 2021 | GAMA's annual report reveals which types are on top |
| February 14, 2021 | Air Charter Scotland joins the ‘efficient’ Malta jurisdiction |
| February 8, 2021 | CJ3s continue to fly the flag for Scottsdale's Alante |
| November 2, 2020 | Textron improves repair process for CJ landing gear |
| October 25, 2020 | Four jets come onboard the Clay Lacy roster |
| September 8, 2020 | Textron aircraft owners can take advantage of SAF |
| June 21, 2020 | Seven customers take up Tamarack installation offer |
| April 3, 2020 | Tamarack waives installation fee until end of June |
| December 10, 2019 | Tamarack expands winglet support network |
| November 17, 2019 | Chairman inks the deal on Citation CJ3+ purchase |
| September 23, 2019 | Western gets its wish for Williams work |
| September 21, 2019 | Textron marks a half century of Citation innovation |
| September 17, 2019 | Stuttgarter Flugdienst comes off the map as Atlas takes over |
| July 16, 2019 | Philadelphia-based CJ3 joints the Priester ranks |
| July 14, 2019 | Specified mods lift restrictions on Tamarack winglets |
| June 18, 2019 | Tamarack files chapter 11 as winglet upgrades continue |
| May 24, 2019 | EASA approves Fusion retrofit for the CJ3 |
| April 8, 2019 | Tamarack turns to Guernsey for Active Winglet installations |
| January 15, 2019 | Tamarack winglets touch down in Brazil |
| November 16, 2018 | Desert Jet brings in third CJ3 to light jet fleet |
| October 13, 2018 | Citation active winglets are now available from Bromma |
| August 7, 2018 | Signature TechnicAir approved for Tamarack winglets |
| June 7, 2018 | Ortac is first to receive 2-REG approval in Jersey and bolsters Textron fleet |
| February 7, 2018 | Atlas and FTI receive Citation ADS-B Out authorisation |
| August 2, 2016 | Me & my aircraft – Citation CJ series: Robust and trusty CJs are operators’ go-to aircraft in Europe and beyond |
| August 4, 2015 | Capital Air Charter steps up to jets with CJ3 |
| July 16, 2015 | CJ3 simulator arrives at Star Wings |
| May 28, 2015 | CJ3+ attains EASA go-ahead |
| July 3, 2014 | CJ3 specialist Starwings expands charter and training capacity |
| May 7, 2014 | EBACE 2014: Meet the buyers – weighing up factory-new safeguards against the pre-owned economics |
| February 6, 2014 | CJ3 leads the way for Valair while Phenom courts lucrative central European market |
| June 11, 2013 | Expanding ACS passes safety audit |
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