As expected by its name, the Cessna Citation II was the second aircraft built in the legendary Citation family of business jets. Cessna began designing the Citation II from its earlier released Citation I. The company intended to keep many of the business jet’s strong qualities, like low-speed handling, while improving on other performance measures, like cruise speed and seating capacity.
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The Citation series of business jets has been offered since the early 1970s, progressing through a range of variants to meet different demands.
Throughout its years of being produced, several variants were developed from the original Citation II, including the Citation II/SP, Citation S/II, and the Citation Bravo. After being introduced in the late 1970s, Cessna would go on to produce over 1,180 total aircraft of these four variants. It is one of the most successful aircraft in Cessna Citation history.
Let’s take a closer look at the Citation II and what made it so successful, and also explore some of the variants that came from the Citation II.
Brief history of the Citation II
As previously mentioned, the Citation II was developed from the existing Citation I. Customers wanted to keep the aircraft’s handling qualities and its short-field performance. However, they also wanted a quicker aircraft with a greater range.
Photo: Santi Rodrigues | Shutterstock
Cessna began developing the aircraft in September 1976 and flew for the first time in January 1977. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded the aircraft its type certification in March 1978. Deliveries of this aircraft began shortly after.
The Citation II stretched the fuselage of the Citation I by nearly four feet. This allowed the aircraft to fit a total of eight passengers in addition to the two pilots. Cessna also increased the headroom by about five inches from the Citation I. The aircraft had the following interior measurements:
- Cabin height: four feet seven inches
- Cabin width: four feet eight inches
- Cabin length: 15 feet nine inches
- Cabin volume: 292 cubic feet
The Citation II was powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D engines. These provided just under 2,500 pounds of thrust each. These engines and other design features helped the aircraft reach cruise speeds of 385 knots (443 mph).
This was a great improvement over the Citation I, which only had a cruise speed of 357 knots (411 mph). The aircraft can also reach a longer range of 1,159 nautical miles (1,333 miles). Other minor improvements include a five-foot longer wingspan that allowed for up to 742 more gallons of fuel. It also increased the aircraft’s gross weight to 13,000 pounds, about 1,000 more pounds than the Citation I.
Other variants developed from the Citation II
Shortly after the Citation II was released, customers began inquiring about a variant of the aircraft that only required a single pilot. Cessna obliged by creating the Citation II/SP. This aircraft received its type certification from the FAA based on FAR Part 23 standards. To meet the standards, Cessna reduced the maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) to just 12,500 pounds.
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It also required several changes to the cockpit and accompanying avionics systems. For operators to meet these updated standards, the aircraft is typically flown with a reduced fuel load. This meant the aircraft had a slightly shorter range. Nearly 700 total Citation II and Citation II/SP were delivered.
After the Citation II/SP saw success, Cessna began exploring further upgrades. The company announced the new and improved Citation S/II in 1983. It flew the following February and was awarded its type certification by the FAA in July. Some of the upgrades on this aircraft include aileron gap seals, a fluid deicing system, and a redesign of the engine pylons to improve drag.
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It is a high-performance and highly versatile aircraft.
Overall, the aircraft had over 120 more gallons of fuel than previous variants. This allowed the Citation S/II to reach higher cruise speeds and a further range. The Citation S/II had the following specifications:
|
Length |
47 feet nine inches |
|---|---|
|
Wingspan |
52 feet three inches |
|
Height |
15 feet |
|
Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) |
15,100 pounds |
|
Maximum speed |
Mach 0.721 (533 mph) |
|
Cruise speed |
403 knots (464 mph) |
|
Range |
1,378 nautical miles (1,585 miles) |
|
Ceiling |
43,000 feet |
Over 160 of these aircraft were built. This includes the fifteen modified aircraft, designated as the T-47A, that were purchased by the United States Navy for radar interception training in the 1980s.
The new and improved Citation Bravo
After ten years of success with the Citation S/II, Cessna once again looked to upgrade the Citation aircraft. The company began developing a new variant, the Citation Bravo. This aircraft flew for the first time in April 1995 and was granted its type certification the following August. Cessna began deliveries of the aircraft in February 1997.
Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock
Some upgrades to this variant include brand-new Pratt & Whitney Canada PW530A turbofan engines. These engines were significantly more efficient and provided nearly 15% more thrust on take-off. Cessna also switched the cockpit to include the updated Honeywell Primus EFIS avionics. Other additions include a new Citation Ultra-based interior and new landing gear for easier use.
Cessna finally ceased production of the Citation II family in 2006, with the company halting production of the Citation Bravo. However, over 336 Citation Bravos were delivered prior to production ceasing. This meant a total of 1,184 total Citation II aircraft variants were produced. This aircraft also led to the development of another successful Citation jet, the Citation V.
Have you ever flown in a Citation? Let us know your stories in the comments.
