Cessna Citation Ultra
Turbofan • twin engine • Low Wing • Retractable gear
Range Visualization
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Payload vs. Range
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Mission Profile
- High-Altitude
- Pressurization
- Multi-Engine
- Instrument
About the Cessna Citation Ultra
Overview
The Cessna Citation Ultra (Model 560, 1994 to 1999) is the mid-production, glass-cockpit member of the straight-wing Citation 560 family. It took the Citation V airframe, lifted thrust with Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-5D turbofans (3,045 lbf each, up from the V’s JT15D-5A), and added a full Honeywell Primus 1000 electronic flight deck in place of the V’s captain-side EFIS. At 279 aircraft delivered it was the single largest production block of the 560 line, which is why the Ultra is the most commonly traded variant on the resale market today.
For the GA buyer, the Ultra is the value entry into a true cabin-class light jet: a 45,000 ft ceiling, a roomy executive cabin, and a modernized glass panel at acquisition costs well below the later PW535-powered Encore. It sits one clear step above the Citation Bravo in capability while keeping handling and field performance that owner-flown crews find approachable.
Key Features for GA Buyers
- Full Honeywell Primus 1000 glass cockpit. The Ultra was the first 560-series variant to ship with a complete electronic flight deck, a meaningful usability and resale advantage over the captain-side-EFIS Citation V.
- 45,000 ft service ceiling. Routine direct climb to FL410 to FL450 puts the type above weather and most jet traffic on cross-country legs.
- More thrust than the Citation V. The JT15D-5D’s 3,045 lbf per side improves climb to 4,230 fpm and runway performance over the earlier V while keeping the same proven airframe.
- Largest installed base in the family. With 279 built, the Ultra has the deepest pool of available airframes, parts, and maintenance knowledge of any 560 variant.
Trade-offs
- Older-generation engine economics. The JT15D-5D carries higher hot-section and engine-program cost than the PW535A Encore that replaced it. Plan for it in ownership budgeting.
- Required two-pilot operation. Like every 560-series variant, the Ultra is not single-pilot certificated; owner-operator economics must include a full second pilot or contract crew.
- No FADEC. Engine management is conventional. The FADEC and Pro Line 21 deck that narrow the gap to current-production light jets did not arrive until the Encore+ in 2007.
- Shorter TBO than the Encore. JT15D-5-series TBO is roughly 3,500 hr versus the PW535A’s 5,000 hr, so overhaul events arrive sooner across the same utilization.
See Also
- Cessna Citation V – the base 1989 to 1994 Model 560 with JT15D-5A engines and captain-side EFIS. Compare
- Cessna Citation Encore / Encore+ – the PW535-powered successor with a redesigned interior and longer engine TBO. Compare
- Cessna Citation II / Bravo – the direct down-step in the same straight-wing Citation family, lighter and slower. Compare
- Cessna Citation Excel / XLS – the modern mid-light Citation that succeeded the 560 line at the upper end of this bracket. Compare
Technical Specifications
Dimensions & Weights
- Length
- 48.75 ft
- Parking area (ft2)
- 3343.25 ft2
- Max Takeoff Weight
- 16,300 lbs
- Max Landing Weight
- 15,200 lbs
- Useful Load
- 6,375 lbs
- Fuel Capacity
- 861 gal
Performance
- Cruise Speed
- 428 KTAS
- Never-Exceed (Vne)
- 292 KIAS
- Max Structural Cruise (Vno)
- 292 KIAS
- Approach Speed
- 103 KIAS
- Stall, Clean (Vs1)
- 79 KIAS
- Range
- 1667 NM
- Service Ceiling
- 45,000 ft
- Rate of Climb
- 4230 fpm
- Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle
- 3,510 ft
- Landing ground roll
- 2,230 ft
Similar to the Cessna Citation Ultra
Cessna Citation Bravo
Cessna Citation Latitude
Cessna Citation Longitude
See how the Cessna Citation Ultra stacks up against similar aircraft