Cessna CitationJet/Citation CJ family

Basically the Cessna 525 CitationJet is a Citation I fitted with a T-tail, although there are more differences of course. So if you know the Citation I, the CitationJet is not so difficult to recognise. The CJ family retains the characteristic cut off oval cabin windows. Also, the cockpit windows are similar, but the side windows are smaller and don't have the small triangular windows. The wings taper somewhat more. Finally, the CJ family has a T-tail with no dorsal fin.

Like the original Citation I has been stretched to create the Citation II and Citation V, the Citation CJ family also comes in different fuselage lengths.

To differentiate between the subtypes you have to look at

• the length of the fuselage
• the number of cabin windows
• the shape of the wings
• the shape of the cockpit windows
• the presence and shape of winglets
• the presence of small, round windows in the top of the cabin
• the shape of the engine nacelles
• the number and location of antennas

The founding member of the Citation CJ family is model 525 CitationJet. It has four cabin windows on each side. Also note the tabs at the back of the engine nacelles, that act as a sort of thrust reservers. It can be recognised from the Citation CJ1 by the location of the antenna underneath the fuselage: it is near the trailing edge of the wings.

With the advent of the Citation CJ2 (see below) Cessna decided to offer the CitationJet with the cockpit of the Citation CJ2. That is a difference you cannot see on the outside, though an antenna has been moved at the bottom of the fuselage compared to the CitationJet. Subtle difference, but still…

Another cockpit upgrade for the Citation CJ1 yielded the Citation CJ1+, but unfortunately you cannot see that from the outside. The CJ1+ however lacks the thrust reverser tabs at the back of the engines.

The latest iteration of the original model 525 is the Citation M2, essentially a CJ1+ with slightly curved up wingtips that act as winglets. The Gen2 version has changes in the cockpit and cabin, but none are externally visible.

Note that Tamarack Aerospace has developed winglets for the CitationJet and whole CJ family except the Citation CJ4. These appear more “classic”. See detail photos!

The Citation CJ2 is a essentially a Citation CJ1 with a lengthened fuselage resulting in six windows left and right. Note that the thrust reverser tabs are longer than those of the CJ1.

The same differences between the Citation CJ1 and Citation CJ1+ are applicable to the CJ2 and CJ2+. So the external difference compared to the CJ2 is in the lack of tabs at the end of the engine nacelles.

Stretch the Citation CJ2+ and add a window on each side and you get the Citation CJ3, so it has seven cabin windows on each side. For the rest it is the same.

The Citation CJ3+ only differs from the CJ3 on the inside: a new cabin interior and state-of-the-art avionics.

The changes in the Citation CJ3 Gen2 are also mainly internal, except for the 'skylight' windows in the top rear of the fuselage, where the toilet is located. These are the same as on the Citation CJ4 Gen2. There is also an external toilet servicing port, but we doubt that it is clearly visible.

Compared to the Citation CJ3, from which it is derived, the Citation CJ4 is a bit longer, but has fewer cabin windows: five on the left side and six on the right side with a larger distance between the first two windows than the others. Also the cockpit front windows are a bit smaller, having the same height as the side windows. Finally, the wing has a small sweep angle.

The upgraded CJ4 can be recognised from the outside by the small round windows on top of the fuselage, just before the engines. These provide natural light in the lavatory, through so-called skylights. Furthermore the folding stairs now have four steps instead of three and there is a foldable handrail.

Still officially designated Cessna model 525C, the Citation CJ4 Gen3 is the first to have winglets. These have a triangular shape, with a pointed top. For the rest it is externally the same as the Gen2, so with small round windows on top of the fuselage, just before the engines.