Trevor Esling, Vice President of International Sales at Cessna Aircraft Company, outlines the highlights of the newest member of the successful Citation family

India’s increasing importan ce in the global economy is likely to see many more of the country’s business leaders choose the time-saving convenience of executive aircraft to get them from A to B. As a result, the Indian business jet fleet could easily double to more than 200 aircraft over the next 10 years, and India could become one of the world’s top 10 business jet markets by 2025.

With the Cessna Citation family already well represented in India’s business jet fleet, we expect the latest variant—the CJ4—to prove extremely popular with local customers seeking a state-of-the-art blend of performance, comfort and value.

The $9 million ( Rs. 40.5 crore) CJ4 gives pilots and owners more speed, range and cabin space than the popular CJ2+ and CJ3 models without the need to move up to the midsize cabin category of business jets. Needing just 2,670 feet (823 m) to land and 3,130 feet (954 m) for take-off, and with the excellent ‘hot and high’ performance that customers expect of a Citation, the CJ4 at maximum takeoff weight (16,950 lb/7,688 kg) can fly between a huge number of destinations. Its impressive 2,002 nm (3,708 km) range offers travellers the freedom of India and puts all the Gulf states, Thailand and much of China within a convenient single hop from New Delhi or Mumbai.

At 17 feet (5.18 m), the CJ4’s cabin is almost two feet longer than the CJ3’s and is two inches wider at floor level. Typically, the CJ4 is configured with six seats in the main cabin, including a ‘club four’ arrangement, with a seventh seat facing the entry door. The toilet at the rear of the cabin is partitioned off when in use, but at other times it provides an eighth passenger seat.

Passengers not fully occupied with business discussions during their flight can enjoy the CJ4’s deluxe refreshment centre and revolutionary Venue cabin management system. Venue offers amenities such as XM radio, CD and a hi-def Blu-Ray-compatible DVD player, seat monitors and moving maps. The auxiliary AV port allows the use of an iPod or similar device, computer interface and other audio/visual devices. The CD/DVD-compatible media centre in the right-hand forward closet facilitates media content transfers (such as photos, movies and songs) to the 100 GB hard drive. Passengers are also able to control the cabin window shades, cabin environmental system and passenger entertainment from any seat.

Flying high above the weather, the CJ4 has a maximum ceiling of 45,000 feet (13,716 m) and a top cruising speed of 453 knots (839 km/h). The aircraft is powered by two Williams FJ44-4A turbofan engines, each providing 3,621 pounds of thrust. In addition to their impressive power output, fuel efficiency and quiet operation, the FJ44 engines have full authority digital engine controls (FADEC) and projected time between overhaul (TBO) of 5,000 hours.