Cessna: aircraft manufacturer

Cessna is an aircraft manufacturer like Dassault or Bombardier, and is part of the Textron Aviation group, as is another aircraft manufacturer, Beechcraft. This company, which specialises in aeronautics, manufactures private jets and turboprops, mainly for civil and business aviation. Let’s take a look back at the history of this manufacturer and introduce you to its range of aircraft, such as their iconic business fleet: Cessna Citation.

How Cessna was formed

• 1911: The story begins in Kansas, USA, with a farmer named Clyde Cessna. A true aeronautics enthusiast, he built his first plane made of wood that year.
• 1924: Along with a friend Walter Beech (the future founder of Beechcraft), they joined forces to create an aviation company. However, opinions differed on the types of aircraft models to be manufactured, so the two partners formed their own companies.
• 1927: Clyde Cessna founded the company Cessna in Wichita, Kansas. Aircraft such as the Cessna DC-6 were built.
• 1932: Unfortunately, the economic crisis hit the company hard. The Great Depression drove the company out of business. The company remained at a standstill for some time.
• 1934: A pilot friend of Clyde Cessna lost his life in one of his aircraft. Greatly affected by this loss, Cessna decided to stop all aviation activities.

The revival of the Cessna Aircraft Company

• 1934: Dwight and Dwane Wallace were brothers and the nephews of Clyde Cessna. They are the ones who bought the company in order to get it back on its feet and contribute to the success of the company we know today.
• 1940s: During this decade, several passenger aircraft were manufactured such as the Cessna 120, the Cessna 180 or the Cessna 195. In addition, this period benefited the family business, as they delivered about 30 Cessna T-50 aircraft to the U.S. Air Force and 180 aircraft to the Royal Canadian Air Force.
• 1956: The company launched the Cessna 172. It is then considered as one of the most manufactured passenger aircraft in the aviation world. At that time, Cessna was part of the top three in the general aviation sector, along with the other companies Beechcraft and Piper.
• 1963: The manufacturer Cessna signed the production of its 50,000th aircraft! Not surprisingly, it was with one of its flagship aircraft, a Cessna 172.

The arrival of Cessna business jets

• 1968: The first business aircraft was launched, the Cessna 500 Citation I. It made its first flight in the aerospace industry the following year.
• 1975: in 12 years, the company had doubled the production of its single-engine aircraft. As a result, the number of aircraft produced reached 100,000.
• 1985: The American aircraft company was bought by General Dynamics.
• 1992: It was now Textron Aviation’s turn to buy the Cessna company. The company continued its production of business jets with its growing Citation line.
• 2014: Textron Aviation acquired two other aviation companies. Cessna was part of this trio produced by Textron along with Beechcraft and Haker. This grouping allowed the company to expand its range of airliners to meet various needs such as medical evacuations, air cargo demands, private aviation and group flights.

Cessna’s fleet of aircraft

Nowadays, the Cessna aircraft manufacturer distinguishes itself with 3 different fleets. These are the “Turboprop” fleet, the “Piston” fleet, and finally, Cessna’s business fleet with its Citation range.

Business aviation with the Cessna Citation range

• Citation Longitude

This is Cessna’s largest private jet. On board, up to 12 passengers can travel in complete safety and comfort. Its range reaches 7400 km thanks to a very good fuel consumption, which allows it to make a long-haul flight such as Paris to New York, which takes about eight hours. In addition, this comfortable and peaceful cabin also has a very efficient air filtering system. This is thanks to its HEPA filters that remove almost 100% of viruses, bacteria and other germs from the air. Also, its cockpit has the latest flight control technology and simplified controls.

Example of price per route: Paris to New York is from €70,000

• Citation Latitude

With a maximum capacity of 9 people, this streamlined private jet belongs to the category of intermediate private jets. With a range of 5300 km, it guarantees medium-haul journeys with full on-board services. Its contemporary, bright and comfortable cabin ranks this business jet among the most refined in its class.

Example of price per route: Paris to Athensis from €22,500

• Citation XLS

This mid-size jet can carry up to 10 people (and up to 12 for the Citation XLS Gen 2). With a range of 3600 km, this business jet provides direct connections between several cities in Europe. Moreover, this passenger aircraft is perfectly suited for airports with limited or difficult runway access. Of course, like the other aircraft in the Citation range, cabin comfort is guaranteed.

Example of price per route: Paris to Marrakesh is from €17,000

• Citation CJ4

This is the successor of the CJ3. It has a larger cabin, greater range, more comfort and improved cruising speed. This business jet carries up to 9 passengers (and 10 passengers for its Citation CJ4 Gen 2 model, which is its latest version). Its 3700 km range allows numerous connections on short and medium-haul routes.

Example of price per route: Paris to Moscow is from €25,000

• Citation CJ3

The CJ3 can accommodate 6 passengers. It is part of the “light jet” business jet category. It is one of the best small aircraft on the market, ideal for short distances up to 2500 km. It delivers performance at a cost that defies the competition. It is powered by a twin-engine Williams FJ44-3A and two jet engines. In addition, the aircraft manufacturer offers an upgrade to this jet with the Citation CJ3+. This aircraft can accommodate 12 passengers and has a slightly longer range.

Example of price per route: Paris to Saint Tropez is from €11,000

• Citation M2

This light private jet is like a new version of the Citation Mustang. However, the latter has a quieter and more spacious cabin. The Citation M2 can carry up to 6 passengers for a journey of up to 2900 km (the latest generation of this model is the Citation M2 Gen 2, which carries 7 passengers). This private jet is a true combination of efficiency and value for money.

Example of price per route: Paris to Ajaccio is from €6,750

• Citation Mustang

This ultra-light private jet is very practical and ideal for a trip of up to 4 people, with a flight time of less than 2 hours. It has excellent value for money, which is why it is very popular. In addition to the qualities it offers, the Mustang has the ability to access airports with a short runway. It is convenient for short flights without large amounts of luggage.

Example of price per route: Paris to Geneva is from €12,000

Let’s take a look at the other Cessna Citation still active in business aviation: Citation I, Citation II, Citation III, Citation VI, Citation VII, Citation X, Citation Sovereign, Citation CJ1, Citation CJ2, Citation Encore, Citation Bravo, Citation Excel (old XLS version), Citation Jet.

The manufacturer’s other two fleets

Cessna has two other fleets; the “Turboprop” and the “Piston”. The first one is made up of three turboprops. The Grand Caravan EX and the Cessna Caravan can accommodate up to 14 passengers. These two models cover a distance of about 1500 km. In the United States, for example, these models are widely used as regional jets. Finally, the last turboprop is the Cessna SkyCourier, it can perform group flights with up to 19 passengers.

Finally, the last range of aircraft that completes the Cessna fleet is the “Piston” range. It is a range of aircraft with a simple engine (they are single engines) dedicated to pilot training but also for leisure aviation. These are not used for business aviation.

Cessna’s “Air Ambulance” project

Another project that an airliner of a conventional airline cannot perform is the “Air Ambulance”.

With so many business jets, all with different characteristics, it is important to consider the capacity of certain jets to be able to adapt and make medical flights. This is the case for the Citation XLS models, shown in the list above, which can be used as transporters and can be called upon for medical services or deliveries. Stretchers can be installed in their cabin, as well as all necessary medical equipment.

Here at AEROAFFAIRES, we do our best to select the right business jets for you. If you wish to book your private flight on board a Cessna Citation aircraft, contact us at +33 (0) 1 44 09 91 82, by email at charter@aeroaffaires.com, or fill in our online quote.