CESSNA CITATION: NEXT GEN JETS
Cessna’s Citation M2 Gen2 light jet enters into service following FAA certification.
Cessna has come a long way since Kansas farmer Clyde Cessna built and flew his own aircraft back in 1914. One of his earliest models, the DC-6 earned certification in 1929 and now, 93 years later, Textron Aviation, Cessna’s parent company is celebrating the first delivery of the Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 light jet, following the completion of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certification.
Elite Team Offices, headquartered in Clovis, California, recently took delivery of the first production Citation M2 Gen2, with the milestone coming less than six months after Textron announced the latest model during the 2021 NBAA BACE.
“We redefined the entry-level light jet segment when we brought the Citation M2 to market in 2013, and with this integration of next-generation interior technology and design, we know the M2 Gen2 will continue to be among the most popular light jet models,” said Christi Tannahill, senior vice president, Customer Experience. “We’re thrilled to get this airplane into the hands of the customers who helped shape it.
Guy Stockbridge and his Elite Team Offices operation represent the ideal customer for the M2 Gen2: a first-time aircraft owner whose missions demand a versatile aircraft with performance and cabin amenities often found only in larger jets.”
Stockbridge, the owner of Elite Team Offices, started his enterprise as a home-based landscape maintenance business in 1987. Today Elite Team Offices employs more than 500 people across its landscape, landscape management, renewable energy civil grading, and vertical and development construction companies spread across the entire nation.
“We are excited beyond explanation on finally owning our own light jet and what it will do for me, my wife, our teammates and clients,” Stockbridge said. “Knowing we can get to any project we have across the United States in hours seems unbelievable and amazing at the same time. We are looking forward to flying out of Wichita in our new M2 Gen2 jet straight to one of our solar projects in Arizona and be at home in the same day. What a blessing!”
Brilliance is everywhere: Enhanced cabin accent lighting makes the cabin experience more illuminating than ever.
The Citation M2’s platform is perfect for businesses like that of Elite Team Offices. Work doesn’t have to stop on board the Gen 2, as the cabin has been bolstered with the latest technology such as wireless charging capabilities and USB-A and USB-C ports at each cabin seat. Highlights include a newly designed optional folding side-facing seat that converts into additional cargo storage; remastered illuminated cupholders and ambient accent lighting. Even the Cessna’s cockpit has been evolved, with the co-pilot enjoying three inches of extra legroom for enhanced comfort and updated touch-controlled Garmin G3000 avionics. Additionally, cabin entry threshold materials have been improved for durability and maintainability.
Style and function: A newly designed fold down seat converts into storage space for an aditional 50lb of cargo.
Swift travel, as Stockbridge mentioned is a must for any business jet owner, and the M2 Gen2 doesn’t disappoint. A maximum cruise speed of 404 knots true airspeed (464 mph) and a range of 1,550 nautical miles allow the Citation to fly to destinations across the country, including smaller airports with runways as short as 3,210 feet.
Designed for single-pilot operation, the Gen2 is powered by two Williams FJ44 engines that enable the aircraft to climb to 41,000 feet in 24 minutes.
The M2 Gen2 adds to the Citation line up – a range that continues to lead this segment with more than 5,000 light jets delivered throughout the world. From the M2 Gen2, to the upgraded efficiency and comfort of the CJ3+ and the versatile CJ4 Gen2, Textron’s Citation family of light business jets has evolved to offer a range of capabilities, systems and options unmatched in its class.
