20/Twenty: Cessna Citation CJ2+, The Sleeper

Textron Aviation stopped production of its Cessna Citation CJ2+ light twinjet in 2016 after producing 225 of them over the course of a decade.  That decision, combined with aftermarket technology that can be added to the aircraft, provides buyers an opportunity to acquire a pre-owned light twinjet for considerably less than a new single-engine turboprop, with runway and payload performance and fuel economy that bests some in-production peers that trade for nearly twice the price.

According to the Aircraft Bluebook, CJ2+ aircraft trade between $3.25 and $5.4 million. And for that price you can have maximum seating for up to nine passengers (single pilot operations) and a maximum range of 1,585 nm (but only margin to carry around 700 lbs. in addition to full fuel at a long-range cruise speed of 357 kts).

So, one pilot and two or three passengers with luggage. Indeed, this is a common characteristic of all CJs: You can’t fill them with full fuel and people and fly huge distances, nor were they designed for it.

The cabin of the CJ2+ measures 13 ft., 7 in. long; 4 ft. 10 in. wide; and 4 ft., 9 inches high, with an overall volume of 243 cu. ft. and baggage capacity of 65 cu. ft. It's a tad snug. The aircraft was built with several different cabin configurations: a small refreshment center or a single, side-facing seat opposite the entry door, followed by a club-four grouping of single seats, then two single seats behind that, followed by an enclosed lavatory with an optional belted potty.

Like all CJs, the 2+ is a solid short runway performer. At its 12,500 max takeoff weight (MTOW), takeoff distance is just 3,360 ft. (over a 50-ft. obstacle). Maximum service ceiling is 45,000 ft. via step climb and maximum cruising speed at 41,000 ft. is 418 knots (average block speed 402 kts).

Power comes from a pair of 2,490 lb.-thrust Williams FJ44-3A-24 turbofans with FADEC that burn an average of 140 gal. per hour. A refreshed Collins Pro Line 21 avionics system includes WAAS and LPV capabilities.

In August there were 17 CJ2+ models on the market with an average selling time 205 days.

The decision to kill the CJ2+ was part of an overall Textron Aviation campaign at the time to purge what were seen as superfluous models in the product line and enhance opportunities for upselling. Other models eliminated between 2016-2018 included the entry-level Citation Mustang and speedy Citation X+.

From a commercial point of view, Textron’s moved made sense as the light jet market then was already clogged with competitive entrants including the company’s own M2 and CJ3+ models, as well as the discontinued Hawker 400XP and Premier 1A via Textron’s acquisition of Beechcraft in 2014, plus models from other manufacturers including the wildly popular Embraer Phenom 300, which remains in production, and the discontinued (in 2014) Bombardier Learjet 40XR.

Derivative Development

Debuted in 1993 with the delivery of the first Citation CJ in 1993, Cessna’s entire CJ line is basically derivative aircraft that can trace their roots all the way back to the company’s T-37 “Tweet” military trainer in 1954. The T-37 provided the engineering precursor for the original Citation 500 fanjet that first delivered in 1971. The derivative development model cuts engineering risk and expense and Cessna has been successfully using it for more than 75 years for a large part of its product line.

This was the case with the original CJ2 first delivered in 2000. Compared to the CJ (later rebranded CJ1), the CJ2 offered a 33-in. cabin stretch with room for two more passengers, slightly more powerful engines, a quieter cabin with two extra windows and more features, Collins Pro Line 21 avionics, 20 kts better cruising speed, 200 nm more range (pilot and 3 passengers), and 1,700 lbs. more MTOW. 

The CJ2+ improved upon this with 125 more pounds of MTOW and 120 additional pounds of full fuel payload, 10 more knots of cruise speed, refreshed Pro Line 21 avionics with a four-screen display, more advanced flight management system (FMS), and standard XM weather and electronic charts, dual GPS, TCAS and TAWS. A variety of popular options for the CJ2 were made standard on the CJ2+.

Two years after Textron ended CJ2+ production, Tamarack Aerospace began offering its ATLAS active winglet technology for the CJ line including the CJ2+. To date, it has been installed on more than 200 CJs.

Tamarack claims the $249,000 aftermarket system, which increases the wingspan by six feet to 55 ft., 10 in., produces fuel savings of up to 33%, increases maximum zero fuel weight to 10,400 lbs. (400 more than the larger CJ3), and improves climb and runway performance.

In early September, Tamarack and flight-planning software provider ForeFlight announced a collaboration to provide enhanced flight data to operators with active winglets. The data will include improved accuracy for metrics including fuel burn, time enroute, and performance planning.  

Although the CJ2+ has been out of production for nearly a decade, the Tamarack winglets give the CJ2+ added utility and performance that make it competitive with new production aircraft—and it does it for millions less.

BCA welcomes comment and insight from aircraft dealers and brokers for its monthly 20/Twenty pre-owned aircraft market feature. The focus aircraft for October 2025 is the Embraer Praetor 600 and for November, the Gulfstream G550. To participate, contact [email protected]