Russ Meyer ‘Having Fun’ With CitationPartners

Russ Meyer, co-founder of CitationPartners, inside a Citation Excel Eagle at NBAA-BACE static display at Henderson Executive Airport
Credit: Molly McMillin/ShowNews

Cessna Aircraft Chairman Emeritus Russ Meyer calls the past six months in the business aviation market incredible, one that has led to a second phase of business for CitationPartners.

Meyer, standing next to a revamped Citation Excel Eagle on static display at Henderson Executive Airport, noted the low used aircraft inventory and rising flight hours in the business jet industry. It’s a good time to be in business. 

CitationPartners now plans to make its Excel Eagle airframe and flight deck upgrade program available to all Excel aircraft owners, it said during NBAA-BACE. The Excel Eagle on display looks as if it just came off the production line, with new seats and interior, new exterior paint and a Garmin G5000 flight deck. An extensive list of inspections is also included. 

Initially, CitationPartners acquired six used Excels, formerly operated by fractional provider NetJets, and is transforming them into like-new jets. 

Those were sold in short order. 

Meyer developed CitationPartners with son Russ Meyer III, a former Cessna Citation Mustang and CJ3 program manager, and former Cessna Chairman Gary Hay. 

“I’m having fun,” Meyer said.

Molly McMillin

Molly McMillin, a 25-year aviation journalist, is managing editor of business aviation for the Aviation Week Network and editor-in-chief of The Weekly of Business Aviation, an Aviation Week market intelligence report.