Textron Aviation delivers 500th Citation CJ4 series jet

Textron Aviation has delivered the 500th aircraft in its Cessna Citation CJ4 series. The milestone jet, a Citation CJ4 Gen2, was handed over to a customer in the Philippines.

The CJ4, a family of light business jets, was launched in 2006 and first flew in 2008. It has since become one of the more popular lines in the light-jet segment, according to the manufacturer.

Textron said it is currently producing roughly 30 CJ4s a year. The latest delivery comes just over three years after the 400th aircraft in the series was handed over, in April 2023, to Koch Holdings.

The company is also developing a further update, the Citation CJ4 Gen3. It will introduce Garmin G3000 PRIME avionics along with Garmin's Emergency Autoland system. That variant will retain seating for up to nine passengers and two pilots. It is undergoing flight testing and is expected to receive certification from the Federal Aviation Administration before the end of 2026.

A Textron executive said the CJ4 line has led its category for more than a decade, and that the company intends to keep investing in the aircraft's capabilities through the Gen2 and forthcoming Gen3 models.

No further technical or commercial details were disclosed.