Cessna Aircraft Company, today announced that Hahn Air Lines is now operating a fleet of Cessna Citation CJ4s for scheduled services, making the CJ4 the first Citation business jet to be used for commercial airline service.

The company, which is a subsidiary of Textron Aviation of the US, revealed the news at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (Ebace) which is currently under way in Geneva, Switzerland. 

Hahn Air Lines uses the CJ4 for its Dusseldorf/Luxemburg route, giving it the German scheduled and charter airline operator the efficiency and performance of a Citation and its passengers the comfort and amenities of the spacious business jet cabin.

The CJ4 is the first jet in its class to achieve authorisation for use in commercial airline service, says Cessna. 

As a member of the International Air Transport Association (Iata), Hahn Air Lines was required to submit the CJ4 for the extensive Iata Operational Safety Audit.

“Cessna is proud that the Citation CJ4 is the first business jet in its class to pass the Iata audit, proving it met or exceeded more than 1,000 rigorous standards for safety and advanced flight operations,” says Tom Perry, vice president, Sales, Europe for Textron Aviation. “The CJ4 is an excellent fit for Hahn Air’s growth in scheduled and charter operations in what is one of the most dynamic business centers in Europe. The CJ4 is widely accepted as the best performing light jet on the market based on speed, runway performance and its excellent range.”

The Iata Operational Safety Audit programme assesses the operational management and control systems of an airline and it accommodates both FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) and EASA standards for commercial air transport. Several aircraft and operating modifications were made to the CJ4 to accommodate standards, including a locking cockpit door and other cockpit modifications, emergency lighting, passenger safety briefing and conducting flight operations in a multi-crew environment.

A Citation CJ4 is on static display at Ebace, which is being held at the Geneva Palexpo centre and concludes tomorrow.

The Citation CJ4 has a range of 4,019 km, a useful load of 3,164 kg and a top speed of 835 km an hour (451 knots true air speed). This outstanding payload in a light business jet allows the CJ4 to seat up to 10 people. 

The aircraft features single-point fuelling and an externally serviceable lavatory. The aircraft has two, dual-channel, FADEC-controlled, Williams FJ44-4A turbofan engines, the Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out functionality and Venue cabin management system (CMS) that allows passengers to plug their computer into their seat monitor and enjoy wi-fi connectivity, and an ergonomic, high-resolution working or relaxation environment.

More than 6,750 Citations have been delivered to customers around the world since the first Cessna Citation business jet was put into service in 1972. Citations are the largest fleet of business jets in the world and have surpassed 31 million flight hours.

Textron Aviation is part of Textron Inc and home to the iconic Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands, which account for more than half of all general aviation aircraft flying. 

The Textron Aviation companies include Cessna Aircraft Company and Beechcraft Corporation, bringing together decades of unmatched experience in designing, building and supporting airplanes. It provides the most versatile and comprehensive general aviation product portfolio in the world through five principal lines of business: business jets, general aviation and special mission turboprop aircraft, high performance piston aircraft, military trainer and defense aircraft, and a complete global customer service organization. Its broad range of products include such best-selling aircraft as Citation and Hawker business jets, King Air and Caravan turboprops and T-6 military trainer aircraft, all of which are backed by the industry’s largest global service network.

Textron Inc is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems.