Engine Bound For Upcoming Citation CJ4
The folks at Cessna tell Aero-News
that on Monday morning, the company flew the new Williams FJ44-4A
engine aboard a Citation test bed aircraft for the first time. The
Williams FJ44-4A will power the new Citation CJ4 bizjet now under
development by Cessna.
First flight of the CJ4 (shown at right) is scheduled for
the first half of 2008, and entry into service is set for the first
half of 2010.
"The first flight of the new engine went very well, and
performance exceeded our expectations during the 50-minute flight,"
said CJ4 Program Manager Norm Baker III. "This new Williams engine
is going to give our aircraft excellent capability in terms of
performance, thrust, fuel economy and aerodynamics."
The Williams International FJ44-4A electronically controlled
(FADEC) engine will debut on the CJ4. The twin engines each provide
3,400 pounds of thrust (de-rated from 3,600 pounds), compared to
2,820 pounds of the CJ3’s FJ44-3A.
Cessna says the FJ44-4A has the best thrust-to-weight ratio in
its thrust class, and it incorporates several proprietary
aerodynamic improvements that yield a significant reduction in fuel
consumption. Although slightly larger than an FJ44-3A, it is still
a close derivative and makes use of the same FADEC system.
The Williams engine on the new CJ4 follows Cessna's 'family'
concept for its CJ line. Cessna’s CJ1+ is powered by
Williams’ FJ44-1AP, the CJ2+ is powered by the FJ44-3A-24,
and the CJ3 is powered by the FJ44-3A.
"Every lesson we’ve learned in three million FJ44 flight
hours has been applied to this latest model," said Gregg Williams,
President and CEO of Williams International. "It is our most
efficient engine yet, and thanks to all our prior field experience,
as well as reduced operating temperatures, it will enter service
with a very attractive Total Assurance Program price and a
5000-hour TBO."
Configurable for seven to eight passengers in the main cabin,
the CJ4 is expected to have a full fuel payload of 1,000 pounds and
maximum payload of 2,100 pounds, more than 300 additional pounds
compared to the typical CJ3. The CJ4 is expected to have a cruise
speed of 500 miles per hour (435 KTAS).
The CJ4 will sport a new, moderately-swept wing, similiar in
some aspects to the Sovereign -- including the three upper speed
brake panels on each wing, which will improve the aircraft's
short-field performance on landing. The CJ4 will be able to takeoff
from runways as short as 3,300 feet, according to Cessna.
Like others in the CJ family, the CJ4 will use the Collins Pro
Line 21 avionics suite and will feature four 8-by-10 inch flat
screen displays. Some of the standard systems include engine
indication and crew alerting system (EICAS), TAWS Class A (terrain
awareness warning system), TCAS II (traffic alert and collision
avoidance system), cockpit voice recorder (CVR), electronic charts,
and XM graphical weather.
Klyde Morris (05.02.25)
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