The Cessna Citation M2 is the smallest aircraft in the CitationJet family of business jets. Originally, this aircraft was a light business jet that was produced after the discontinuation of the Citation I. The original CitationJet model, which was later dubbed the CJ1, was produced from 1993 to 2011.

After a short discontinuation, Cessna brought the CJ1 series back under new branding with several upgrades called the Citation M2. The development of the original CitationJet and the Citation M2, known as model 525, is interesting to explore, as are the design features that have made the aircraft so successful in the light business jet market.

The creation of the CitationJet

As mentioned earlier, Cessna began searching for a replacement business jet in the light jet market after the discontinuation of the Citation I. Rising engine costs of the jet rendered it too expensive for its current market, which led to production ceasing.

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However, Cessna still believed there was a significant market for a light business jet. Customers were keen to secure an aircraft with low operating costs that could land on short runways. Cessna intended the plane to fit just four to five passengers. This led to the development of what became known as the CitationJet in October 1989.

The prototype flew in April 1991, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded the aircraft its type certificate the following year. The CitationJet officially entered service in March 1993. The CitationJet was sold for approximately $2.4 million when it was introduced, which translates to about $5.2 million today.

The first 359 aircraft in this family are registered as CitationJets. However, serial numbers 360 to 599 are considered CJ1s. This upgrade included the Pro Line 21 avionics suite and a slight increase in maximum takeoff weight (MTOW). The CJ1+ was registered as serials 600 through 799. These aircraft included upgraded engines and a newer update full authority digital engine control (FADEC). However, the CJ1+ was only produced through 2011, primarily due to overlap with the slightly smaller Citation Mustang and the slightly larger CJ2, CJ3, and CJ4.

History of the Citation M2

Cessna brought back the CJ1 with a full upgrade in September 2011. This upgrade would eventually be known as the Citation M2. As the CJ1 production was winding down, Cessna engineers began producing a prototype Citation M2. This aircraft featured upgraded engines, a new cabin layout, and a Garmin G3000 avionics system. It also added winglets to help with fuel burn and efficiency.

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The Citation M2 prototype flew for the first time on March 9, 2012. It was later certified and was eventually entered into service in 2013. The introduction of the Citation M2 eventually led to the discontinuation of the Citation Mustang. The Citation M2 would eventually replace that aircraft as Cessna’s entry-level business jet. It was also registered as the 525 series from serial 800 and onwards.

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What Exactly Changed With The Cessna Citation M2 Development?

With the retirement of the Citation Mustang, the Cessna Citation M2 became the company’s entry-level private jet for potential customers.

Textron Aviation, which owns Cessna, eventually introduced an upgrade to the Citation M2. In 2021, Textron Aviation announced the Citation M2 Gen2. This upgrade was introduced in 2022 and added brand-new interior styles, including accent lighting, wireless charging, legroom, and other amenities, per Aviation Week. The Citation M2 Gen2 will soon be manufactured with autothrottles, which manage engine thrust to optimize engine performance and power. This option becomes standard in mid-2025.

Notable design features

The CitationJet, CJ1, and Citation M2 all have very similar airframes. The original airframe utilized Citation II’s forward fuselage and had the same cross-sections as Citation I and II. These dimensions are as follows:

• 11 feet long
• Five feet seven inches tall
• Five feet eight inches wide

Several other features were added to improve the aircraft. The Cessna engineers added a new supercritical wing to the Citation M2, developed with the help of NASA and Boeing, and installed using a carry-through structure to the fuselage. This smoothed out a step that was previously required in the center of the cabin to account for the center spar of the wing.

Cessna dropped the weight of the aircraft significantly by introducing lightweight materials. The majority of the Citation M2’s airframe was made from lightweight aluminum alloys. Composite materials were also utilized throughout the aircraft to lighten the weight further. Overall, the length of the fuselage is just under a foot shorter than the Citation I, but the cabin features a lowered center aisle to add height. The cockpit windows are also slightly smaller than previous Citation aircraft. This was changed to help reduce temperature differences throughout the cabin.

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These structural changes helped to allow the Citation M2 to land on relatively short runways while maintaining range and cruise speed. The M2 can take off on runways that are 3,210 feet long and land on runways that are just under 2,600 feet long. It can operate on these short runways while still maintaining a climb rate of 3,698 feet per minute.

The Citation M2 has the following performance specifications:

The CitationJet was originally powered by Williams FJ44-1A engines. However, the Citation M2 utilized upgraded versions of these engines, the FJ44-AP-21. These offered up to 15% more cruise thrust, reaching nearly 2,000 pounds each. The avionics system of the Citation M2 is the Garmin G3000, which replaced the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21.