Page 10 - Twin & Turbine May 2017

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producing 1,400 pounds of thrust and equipped with FADEC. Also, the Mustang is the first Citation to feature Garmin G1000 integrated avionics suite.
While each jet represented a significant leap forward in technology, efficiency and safety, all three entry- level Citations remained true to their mission: be the owner-pilot, entry-level jet of choice.
“The purpose of the CJ and the Citation Mustang was similar to the 501: build a business jet that is easy to fly, affordable, with great runway performance and operating economics,” said Tim White, president of jetAVIVA, who served in Cessna’s Citation sales leadership through the high tides of CitationJet, Mustang and M2 sales. “Cessna essentially created the entry-level jet market with the Citation 501, and as engine and flight deck technology advanced, they incorporated it into their follow-on generations of entry-level offerings.”
When considering whether to purchase a “legacy” Citation or a later model Mustang, there are several data points worth noting.
“First, ask yourself what you are hoping to achieve with this step-up. What does this aircraft represent in your personal aviation journey? Do you intend to stay in this aircraft long- term or do you anticipate moving to something else in a few years, thus making residual value and ongoing market viability important? Is it going to be a business tool; what does your business need? Finally, how does it fit into your personal aviation goals?” White added. “Next step, what aircraft choices fit your budget and your goals. Now you can drill down to what aircraft meets your ‘85 percent of the time’ mission. That might not mean the fastest, longest range or the largest out there, but the capabilities and attributes you will leverage the majority of the time for the available budget.”
Also, it is key to consider your exit strategy. If you need to sell it sooner than originally planned, or a high likelihood of upgrading in a few years, what are the financial risks, residual
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The big question is avionics. If you are used to a G1000 and feel you just couldn’t y without it, then your options are limited. A few older planes have been upgraded, or you could do the upgrade yourself, but that is expensive. Frankly, there are so many less expensive glass options for these planes that you can get everything your heart desires for far less money. A lot of older planes have sophisticated panels, and while it’s not a G1000, it gives you the same information.
Another consideration: the G1000 is getting a little old in the tooth. My upgrade to ADS-B was relatively inexpensive. I’m not sure that’s the case with the G1000. In fact, as a rule, it is a lot cheaper to upgrade avionics when everything isn’t in the same box. I had Garmin GTN625 installed that was coupled to my Sandel glass primary instruments and my existing old reliable Avidyne display and it didn’t break the bank.
Of course, if speed is big concern, the 500 or 501 won’t cut it. Performance-wise, these planes are close to the Mustang with a couple of important considerations. On the plus side, they can carry a lot more. It’s almost impossible to overload them. My plane will carry me, six passengers and over 300 pounds of baggage and remain within limits. I’ve carried as many as eight passengers on a short ight. The downside is fuel consumption. These older engines do burn a lot of fuel.
If you want more speed, then you need to look to the Williams-converted planes such as the Stallion or Eagle II. I converted mine to a Stallion ve years ago. The conversion cost more than I had originally paid for the airplane: a little upward of $1.5 million. It was a touch decision, but I never regretted it. With top speed approaching 400 knots and initial climb rates of better than 4,000 feet per second, the performance is equivalent to a CJ2. For the new buyer, these planes are a bargain on the used plane market, and there seem to always be several for sale. A large percentage have already had avionics upgrades. While it might not be a G1000, they are generally well equipped.
Buying an airplane is often more of an emotional decision rather that purely economic. However, if price is a big concern, I doubt there is any deal that would match it, whether you go for a classic Citation I or ISP, or if you go for a Stallion or Eagle II. Over 50 planes have been converted. The Eagle II offers extended range through the installation of larger fuel tanks, but suffers a bit in climb and speed.
My ight pro le is quite varied. On a recent ight from Abilene to San Diego, a 900-nm ight, I ew at FL430 where my fuel burn is roughly 780 pounds per hour. The ight took three hours with a 60-knot headwind and I burned about 2,800 pounds of fuel, leaving me with a good safety buffer of 1,000 pounds. My true airspeed at that altitude is generally around 360 knots and so a 1,200-nm range is realistic with no wind. Reducing the power can signi cantly extend range but I rarely nd that necessary. I’m ready to stop after 3.5 hours.
On shorter ights, I will still try to climb as high as the controllers will allow. For example, Abilene to Houston is a little under 300 nm, and they really bring you down low on the arrival. I will still le for FL270 and on the return, FL300. Since I get to altitude so quickly, I always try for as high as possible. On any ight over 400 miles, I will usually go to FL410 or 430. The Stallion has a modi ed type of FADEC in that there is only a single-channel controller. If you reduce the throttles past a detent, the automatic mode is disengaged and you revert to manual control. At that point, the standard synchronizers can be used to keep the engines in sync. The system works well, but is not considered true FADEC because of the lack of a backup controller.
Another big advantage of the Williams conversion is the signi cantly lower residual thrust at idle. With the Pratt & Whitney JT-15 engines, you were almost always using the brakes on taxiing. Also, landings are signi cantly shorter with Williams engines, making longer brake life an added bene t. All this is especially advantageous to me since I have neither power brakes or anti-skid, which is somewhat unusual in these planes. I also didn’t have thrust reversers, but that’s becomes a moot point with the Williams conversion, as they are removed anyhow.
Regarding support, the Citation Service Centers are still a valuable resource and I have used them extensively over the years. In the past, they were reluctant to work on modi ed Citations, but that no longer seems the case. It is to their credit that they continue to support these older planes. On occasion, I have taken advantage of their Mobil Service Units and have been highly satis ed. I used to depend on the Sierra facility in Uvalde, Texas for a lot of my major work. That is now closed, and I’m not certain if their San Antonio facility provides the same support. Williams seems reluctant to authorize many places to work on their engines and that is a shortcoming. So far, other than a leaking O-ring, I’ve had no problems with my engines.
PHOTO BY JESSICA AMBATS