Maintenance Training For The Aircraft Gets EASA Nod

A couple of CJ4 developments were announced Monday by Cessna at EBACE, including word that Citation CJ4 business jet is nearing type certification from the EASA. “The final stages of the approvals process are underway and we expect certification very soon,” said Trevor Esling, Cessna’s vice president, International Sales.

The CJ4 gained FAA certification in March 2010. The CJ4 made its European debut at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Geneva in May 2010 and the first European delivery took place in October of that year.

The Citation CJ4 is the newest and largest member of the popular CJ family of business jets, which also includes the CJ2+ and CJ3. The CJ4 is approved for single-pilot operations and shares a common pilot type rating with the other CJs, meaning a pilot rated to fly any one of the CJs is rated to fly them all.

The CJ4 has a range of 2,002 nautical miles and a top speed of 453 knots. The aircraft has a takeoff roll of 3,130 feet at maximum takeoff weight. The CJ4 is powered by two Williams International FJ44-4A FADEC engines and features a four-screen Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite. Retail price for a typically equipped CJ4 is $9 million.

In a related development, Cessna also announced Monday that it has won approval by the European Aviation Safety Authority for its MX Advantage Part 147 maintenance training courses for the Citation CJ4. Cessna expects to deliver the first EASA-approved CJ4 into Europe later this year. “Having these approvals means the operator taking delivery of a CJ4 can have an EASA qualified engineering staff in a more timely fashion,” said Chad Martin, Cessna manager of training. “With the practical training aspect of the MX Advantage program, the students are provided access to experienced Cessna instructors and to actual aircraft.”

The training program covers theory and practical CJ4 Airframe and Engine (B1-T1) and Avionics (B2-T2) engineer courses. The MX Advantage courses currently are taught at Cessna facilities in Wichita by FlightSafety International and Cessna. Training will move to a new FlightSafety maintenance training facility dedicated to Cessna programs in 2012. The facility, with more than 65,000 square feet, will accommodate up to four Citations and will be adjacent to Cessna’s Wichita Citation Service Center.

MX Advantage is an exclusive Cessna/FlightSafety training program that currently offers theoretical B1-T1 and B2-T2 courses for almost all Citation and Caravan models. Cessna is working toward EASA approval for its practical training courses for these aircraft as well.

FMI: www.cessna.com