- News
- Jan 9, 2026
- 3 min read
Textron Aviation Delivers First CJ3 Gen2
Late last year, the aircraft received approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Textron Aviation has delivered the first upgraded Cessna Citation CJ3 Gen2 light business jet. According to the manufacturer, this is the most significant upgrade to the model to date.
The aircraft was handed over this week to longtime Citation owners Dave McCartney and Shannon Day after receiving FAA type certification in October. This is the second debut of an upgraded model in the past two weeks: late last month, Textron Aviation delivered the first Citation Ascend to a customer.
Dave McCartney, a member of Textron Aviation’s Customer Advisory Board with nearly 20 years of experience flying Citations, played an active role in the development of the CJ3 Gen2. Lannie O’Bannion, the company’s senior vice president of sales and marketing, called the aircraft “the largest investment in the Gen2 product line to date.” Key enhancements include Garmin autothrottles, increased pilot legroom and personalized cabin design options.
According to O’Bannion, the Citation CJ3 Gen2 combines outstanding range, payload and efficiency with new features that enhance performance and comfort.
The model was developed with customer feedback gathered through the advisory board. The flight deck offers 4.5 inches of additional legroom, as well as the latest Garmin G3000 avionics suite with autothrottles, a touchscreen interface and the GDL60 data transmission system. The cabin can be configured to accommodate up to 10 passengers and also features a lavatory that can be serviced externally.
Dave McCartney said: “As a Cessna Citation owner since 2007, I have always trusted the brand for its reliability and one of the best service networks in the industry. Choosing the CJ3 Gen2 was a natural continuation of my longstanding relationship with the company.”
Textron Aviation has delivered the first upgraded Cessna Citation CJ3 Gen2 light business jet. According to the manufacturer, this is the most significant upgrade to the model to date.
The aircraft was handed over this week to longtime Citation owners Dave McCartney and Shannon Day after receiving FAA type certification in October. This is the second debut of an upgraded model in the past two weeks: late last month, Textron Aviation delivered the first Citation Ascend to a customer.
Dave McCartney, a member of Textron Aviation’s Customer Advisory Board with nearly 20 years of experience flying Citations, played an active role in the development of the CJ3 Gen2. Lannie O’Bannion, the company’s senior vice president of sales and marketing, called the aircraft “the largest investment in the Gen2 product line to date.” Key enhancements include Garmin autothrottles, increased pilot legroom and personalized cabin design options.
Sponsored by Jet24 global
According to O’Bannion, the Citation CJ3 Gen2 combines outstanding range, payload and efficiency with new features that enhance performance and comfort.
The model was developed with customer feedback gathered through the advisory board. The flight deck offers 4.5 inches of additional legroom, as well as the latest Garmin G3000 avionics suite with autothrottles, a touchscreen interface and the GDL60 data transmission system. The cabin can be configured to accommodate up to 10 passengers and also features a lavatory that can be serviced externally.
Dave McCartney said: “As a Cessna Citation owner since 2007, I have always trusted the brand for its reliability and one of the best service networks in the industry. Choosing the CJ3 Gen2 was a natural continuation of my longstanding relationship with the company.”
Popular tags:
