Aircraft Spotlight: Cessna Citation X

 
 

What do you get when you take a Cessna Citation III, built by a company that desperately wants to shed its image as a builder of slow aircraft, stretch it, sweep its wings, and strap two giant Rolls Royce power plants to it? You get a jet with a head-on profile that looks a bit like Micky Mouse wearing a propeller hat while sporting a Salvador Dalian mustache, and what, at the time, was the fastest business jet ever produced.

Meet the Cessna Citation X

First proposed in 1990, the first customer, avid pilot and legendary golfer/combiner of delicious refreshments, Arnold Palmer, took delivery of this rocket ship in July 1996 and promptly set several speed records. As a matter of fact, Palmer had a hand in designing the airplane as a very involved customer advocate. Cessna basically built it around Arnie’s wish list. The design team behind the project won the Collier Trophy for building the first US commercial aircraft capable of cruising at Mach .92.

Cessna continued improving the jet over the years, with deliveries made after 2002 featuring a 5% increase in thrust and a 400 lb increase in maximum takeoff weight. This was followed by a 2010 announcement that the X+ was on the horizon. The X+ features upgraded engines, a 15-inch stretch, elliptical winglets, and markedly improved performance and efficiency.

Today’s Citation X Market

In 1996, the original Citation X was offered at $12,000,000. That’s $25,000,000 in today’s dollars. The improved X+ was offered at a typical sales price of $23,000,000 in 2012, $30,000,000 when adjusted for inflation.

Here’s a snapshot of today’s Citation X market:

  • Average model year: 2002

  • Average AFTT: 8,663 hours

  • Number of aircraft on the market: 20

  • Percentage of fleet on-market: 7%

  • Average asking price: $5,100,000

And the Citation X+

  • Average model year: 2017

  • Average AFTT: 2,000 hours

  • Number of aircraft on the market: 4

  • Percentage of fleet on-market: 12%

  • Average asking price: $13,800,000

Citation X+ with its elliptical wing

As you can see, there is remarkable value to be found in the earlier straight X aircraft. As one of the primary workhorse line aircraft for companies like NetJets, XOJet, and AirX, a large percentage of the fleet has seen time in part 135 charter service, and as such, the fleet averages a fairly high total time.

However, one reason for the lowered acquisition cost is the adjustment the market has had to make to account for the bad rap the jet gets in terms of having a higher cost of ownership. Mechanics who regularly service Xs joke that it’s the fastest jet between service centers, but many point out that that’s simply a function of how much demand was put on the airframe by the 135 operators. In the world of private ownership, a 200-300 hours/year ship shouldn’t see the same amount of maintenance issues. As one corporate pilot put it, “If you bought a Ferrari and drove it like a New York taxi cab, you’d have the same problems.”

Realistically, in today’s market, a mid-time, late ‘90s model straight X could be bought in the mid-to-high $4Ms while ownership and operation costs could vary widely depending on your usage and where the jet is in its maintenance cycle. Our research shows that Textron still offers good support for legacy Xs, and consumables are readily available.

Talk to 20 different industry experts, and you’ll get 20 different opinions on the Citation X. Love it or hate it, it has made an indelible mark on business aviation and set the bar for high-end performance against which companies like Embraer, Dassault, and Bombardier still measure their latest products.

The typical double-club configuration of most of the Citation X line

Cessna Citation X specs:

  • Crew: 2

  • Pax: 12

  • Length: 72.5’

  • Wingspan: 63.6’

  • Height: 19.2’

  • Empty Weight: 22,000 lbs

  • MTOW: 36,100 lbs

  • Fuel Cap.: 13,000 lbs

  • Engines: Rolls Royce AE3007C/C1

  • Thrust: 13,200 lbf

  • Max Mach: .92

  • Normal Cruise: 528 kn

  • Range: 3125 nm

Cessna Citation X+ specs:

  • Crew: 2

  • Pax: 12

  • Length: 73.6’

  • Wingspan: 69.2’

  • Height: 19.3’

  • Empty Weight: 22,131 lbs

  • MTOW: 36,600 lbs

  • Fuel Cap.: 13,000 lbs

  • Engines: Rolls Royce AE3007C2

  • Thrust: 14,068 lbf

  • Max Mach: .935

  • Normal Cruise: 528 kn

  • Range: 3380 nm

If you’re in the market for a Citation X, X+, or any of the Citation family of aircraft, give us a call and we’ll do a deep dive into the Citation market and find the aircraft that fits your mission and budget.

Clayton Corn