Unijet has purchased a Citation CJ2 to replace its Falcon 10s. The company acquired the aircraft to meet the growing demand for short range European charter flights.

Dannys Famin, president, told EBAN: “We needed an entry level jet and had difficulty deciding between the Premier 1 and the CJ2. We decided that the Premier was too revolutionary for an entry level jet; we wanted a ‘turn-key’ plane. The CJ2 is ideal; it’s something of an evolution with its new engine.”

The company has operated the Falcon 10 for over 25 years and asked Dassault to retrofit its Falcon 10 so that it matched the enhanced avionics and electronic wiring of the Falcon 20. Dassault decided

not to take the project on, which caused Unijet to consider new options to update its fleet.

“The CJ2 will replace our Falcon 10s,” said Famin. “Twenty years ago we flew to South Africa, India, even to the US with the Falcon 10, but today we have discovered that people will not fly for more than two hours with such a small aeroplane. The range of the CJ2 is perfect for us.”

The aircraft, based in the company’s Paris Le Bourget Airport facility, will mainly be flying to Western European destinations, to a maximum distance of North Africa. Unijet aims to phase out its two Falcon 10s progressively, selling one this year and the other soon afterwards with hopes that its passengers will opt for the CJ2 for short range flights.

“For the passengers, the quietness and baggage compartment, which is really huge, are great advantages. Nowadays more people want luggage space. There is no comparison with the Falcon 10,” said Famin, “ as its baggage capacity is very low. If you want to take a lot of luggage, it has to be taken into the cabin. The CJ2 has a much greater storage capacity, so the cabin is clear.”

Another advantage of the CJ2, according to Famin, is the cheaper maintenance. “The cost is far

lower than the Falcon, which is not known for its cheap maintenance,”

he commented.

The increasing use of the CJ2 as a replacement for the Falcon 10 has forced Unijet to alter its flight times. “As a rough figure, we lose five minutes per hour of flight compared to the Falcon 10,” said Famin. “That’s the main disadvantage.”

The lesser speed of the CJ2 doesn’t worry Unijet, as Famin explains: “We have been surprised because on the long flights the CJ2 climbs so well you can reach FL410 or FL430 and therefore you’re above the traffic, offering direct routes you would not have with the Falcon 10.

“However, in Europe we are increasingly obliged to make short distance flights at low altitude. We have found that the flight level for short distances is reducing by 1,000 feet per year. The Falcon 10, which has a stronger build, has a maximum low altitude speed of 350 knots compared to 265 knots with the CJ2,” he added. “But as low level flying means short flights, the increased flight time is not really noticeable for the passenger.”

The company operates seven aircraft, including a Falcon 50 and a Falcon 900EX, and expects to achieve 500 hours of flight time per aircraft per year. It has placed an order for the CJ3, which it hopes to have by the end of 2006 and is also looking into purchasing an Excel, Sovereign or Falcon 2000.

Unijet’s CJ2 is the 200th model sold by Cessna since its introduction at the 1998 NBAA convention. To date, the CJ2 fleet has flown over 80,000 hours.