Cessna Citation III
Turbofan twin engine • Low Wing • Retractable gear
Range Visualization
• nm at current load
• click map to move • two fingers to move map
Payload vs. Range
Configure weights
Default: 190 lbs
Default: 30 lbs
Fuel on board
Extra weight
Range
Mission Profile
- • High-Altitude
- • Pressurization
- • Multi-Engine
- • Instrument
About the Cessna Citation III
Overview
The Cessna Citation III (Model 650) was Cessna’s first clean-sheet swept-wing business jet, type-certificated in 1982 to bridge the straight-wing Citation I and II and the cabin-class jets above them. A supercritical swept wing, a T-tail, and two Honeywell TFE731-3B-100S turbofans give it a 51,000 ft ceiling and a 472 KTAS cruise, ending the ‘Slowtation’ reputation the earlier Citations carried. The III was in production from 1983 to 1992 before the line continued as the Citation VI and VII.
Key Features for GA Buyers
- 51,000 ft service ceiling. The III climbs into the high-altitude band that clears most weather and airline traffic on cross-country legs.
- Transcontinental range. A full-fuel range near 2,348 nm covers coast-to-coast US legs with reserves at lighter cabin loads.
- Stand-up cabin. A dropped-aisle cabin provides roughly 5.7 ft of headroom and an enclosed aft lavatory, unusual comfort for a 1980s midsize jet.
- 472 KTAS cruise. The swept supercritical wing lifts cruise speed well past the straight-wing Citations that preceded it.
Trade-offs
- TFE731 maintenance economics. The Honeywell TFE731-3B engines carry midsize-jet overhaul and hot-section costs; budget engine reserve well above light-jet levels.
- Two-pilot operation. The Model 650 is certificated for a minimum crew of two and is not single-pilot eligible, so owner-operator economics must include a second pilot.
- Legacy avionics. Early airframes carry first-generation EFIS or analog panels that need upgrades for current airspace compliance.
- Older airframe age. Every Citation III is a 1983 to 1992 aircraft, so corrosion inspection, maintenance history, and avionics currency weigh heavily in a pre-buy.
See Also
- Cessna Citation VI – the economy-interior sister built on the same Model 650 airframe and TFE731-3B engines. Compare
- Cessna Citation VII – the uprated Model 650 with more powerful TFE731-4R engines and higher hot-and-high performance. Compare
- Bombardier Learjet 55 – a contemporary midsize cross-shop with a stand-up cabin and similar mission. Compare
Technical Specifications
Dimensions & Weights
- Height
- 16.83 ft
- Length
- 55.42 ft
- Parking area (ft2)
- 3836.67 ft2
- Max Takeoff Weight
- 22,000 lbs
- Max Landing Weight
- 20,000 lbs
- Useful Load
- 8,300 lbs
- Fuel Capacity
- 1094 gal
Performance
- Cruise Speed
- 472 KTAS
- Never-Exceed (Vne)
- Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 346 KIAS
- Max Structural Cruise (Vno)
- Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 305 KIAS
- Approach Speed
- 112 KIAS
- Stall, Clean (Vs1)
- 97 KIAS
- Range
- 2348 NM
- Service Ceiling
- 51,000 ft
- Rate of Climb
- 3805 fpm
- Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle
- 5,030 ft
- Landing ground roll
- 2,388 ft
Sources
Where the figures on this page come from. Cessna Citation III specifications are traced to published references; estimated values are flagged inline next to the figure.
Similar to the Cessna Citation III
Similar TurbofansCessna Citation VI
Cessna Citation VII
Gulfstream G550
See how the Cessna Citation III stacks up against similar aircraft
External Media
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