First Citation CJ3 Gen 2 Enters Service The newest and latest incarnation of the Citation CJ3 has entered service officially. It is the first Gen 2 variant of the popular CJ3 line of smaller light executive jets from Textron Aviation's Cessna. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the latest version back in October of 2025. The first aircraft to enter service went to a long-time repeat customer with nearly 2 decades of flying Citation jets.
On the exterior the aircraft looks generally the same as the standard CJ3 but there are some notable improvements to the jet. Key upgrades include Garmin auto-throttle technology, added pilot legroom and a fully customizable cabin environment, all driven by customer feedback. In fact, the launch customer is on the Textron Aviation Customer Advisory Board and personally helped with input to enhance the latest features to the current iteration of the model.
“The Citation CJ3 Gen2 delivers an unmatched experience from day one—thanks to its exceptional range, payload and efficiency, combined with new productivity and comfort features,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior vice president, Sales & Marketing. “Customers like Shannon and Dave will undoubtedly appreciate this aircraft, our most comprehensive Gen2 investment to date.”
The fully customizable luxury interior allows customers to create the ideal environment for their specific mission with seating for up to 10 occupants. For added convenience, the Citation CJ3 Gen2 includes an externally serviceable lavatory. The pilot also stands to benefit from operating the aircraft. There is even more legroom for the pilots in the cockpit. The cockpit in the CJ3 Gen2 provides an extra 4.5 inches (11.4 cm) of legroom for the pilot, improving entry and egress from the pilot’s seat before and after flight. The interface in terms of avionics is better with the use of the latest Garmin G3000 software and hardware. Therefore there is additionally benefit and capability with intuitive touchscreen interface via Garmin Touchscreen Controllers, GDL60 for aircraft connectivity, including remote transmission of flight plans, automatic database updates as well as wireless transmission of aircraft diagnostic data and the much-talked-about Garmin Auto-throttles to reduce pilot workload and provide flight-envelope protection. For more information: Textron Aviation One Cessna Blvd, Wichita, KS www.txtav.com ***
