Cessna CitationJet CJ1

2 × Turbofan Pressurized Low Wing • Retractable

Range Map

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+ cargo

Payload vs. Range

Occupants:

Fuel on board

Cargo

Range

Cargo is additional payload after occupants and baggage.

Adjust payload

full tanks

Available Range / nm

Mission capable. This load flies with full fuel.

Fuel reduced by . left aboard for nm range.

Over max payload by . At this load it cannot lift a single occupant.

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Mission Profile

Used market

381

KTAS

Cruise Speed

1,300

Max Range

41,000

Service Ceiling

Occupants

554

lbs

Wet Payload

Endorsements & ratings:

High-Altitude
Pressurization
Multi-Engine
Instrument

Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1+ (N81CP) at NBAA-BACE, Orlando Executive Airport, October 2022. Photo: ZLEA, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Estimated Ownership Costs

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About the Cessna CitationJet CJ1

Type certificated 1992

Overview

The Cessna CitationJet CJ1 (Model 525) is the entry-level jet from which the modern CJ line descends. Cessna paired a simplified Citation-series cabin with a new NASA natural-laminar-flow wing and Williams FJ44 turbofans, resolving the speed deficit of the earlier Citation 500 series while keeping the short-field manners and single-pilot certification that define the CJ family. The CJ1 designation marked the upgraded-engine CitationJet; earlier airframes carry the Honeywell SPZ-5000 glass cockpit rather than the later Collins and Garmin panels.

For the owner-operator, the CJ1 is an affordable used-market entry into Citation jet ownership: a 381 KTAS cruise, 1,300 nm range, and FL410 ceiling on a roughly $1,640-per-hour direct operating cost, flown single-pilot. The trade-off is age. The CJ1 is out of production, so avionics support and engine condition dominate the pre-buy, and the modern M2 covers the same mission with a current-production airframe for buyers who would rather not manage a legacy panel.

Key Features for GA Buyers

Single-pilot certification: Designed from the outset for solo operations, with a logical cockpit layout and simplified electrical bus that reduce pilot workload compared to the older Citations.
Trailing-link landing gear: The 525 introduced trailing-link main gear to the light Citation line, replacing the straight-leg gear of the Citation I and smoothing out the firm-arrival tendency that gear was known for.
Natural-laminar-flow wing: The NASA-developed wing improved lift-to-drag ratio enough to push cruise past 380 KTAS on the FJ44 thrust class, well beyond the straight-wing Citations that preceded it.
Engine program economics: The Williams FJ44 carries a 5,000-hour TBO, and the enrolled engine program converts overhaul reserve into a predictable hourly line item.

Trade-offs

Trenched aisle: To keep exterior dimensions small while maintaining stand-up cabin height, the floor has a dropped center aisle. Entering and exiting seats requires a step down.
Avionics age: Earlier CitationJet airframes carry the Honeywell SPZ-5000 suite, which is increasingly expensive to support as parts age. Garmin GTN and G600 upgrades are available but add significant acquisition cost.
Payload-range limit: At full fuel (477 gal), available payload is roughly 500 lb. The practical long-range mission is two occupants plus bags for routes beyond 1,000 nm.

Technical Specifications

Dimensions & Weights

Height: 14 ft
Length: 43 ft
Parking area (ft²²): 2,708 ft²

Max Takeoff Weight: 10,400 lbs
Max Landing Weight: 9,700 lbs
Useful Load: 3,750 lbs
Fuel Capacity: 477 gal

Performance

Cruise Speed: 381 KTAS
Never-Exceed (V_NE): Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 263 KIAS
Max Structural Cruise (V_NO): Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 263 KIAS
Approach Speed: 99 KIAS
Stall, Clean (V_S₁): 91 KIAS
Range: 1300 NM
Service Ceiling: 41,000 ft
Rate of Climb: 568 - 3230 fpm
Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle: 3,080 ft
Landing over 50 ft obstacle: 2,465 ft

Engines

Sources

Where the figures on this page come from. Cessna CitationJet CJ1 specifications are traced to published references; estimated values are flagged inline next to the figure.

FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet No. A1WI, Revision 34 — Model 525 Airspeed Limitations drs.faa.gov

2 × Turbofan Low Wing Used market

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