Perhaps no name is more recognizable than Cessna within the aviation world. The Cessna Citation line continues to be the breadwinner in the jet market, for both private use and chartering services. It’s latest iteration, the M2 (also known as Model 525), is no different. In 2011, Cessna decided to tighten its grip on the light jet market with the introduction of the Cessna M2 to its Citation line.
Improving The Best
The introduction of the Cessna CJ (their first foray into the light jet market) in the early ‘90s, changed the industry. Fast forward to 2011 and Cessna promised i’s investors and customers something fresh and new. They delivered, kind of. The Citation M2 is a redesign of the ever popular Cessna CJ. The major overhaul included state-of- the-art avionics upgrades, fuselage changes, and new FJ44 Turbofan jet engines.
The M2 was designed to take over the entry-level light jet spot from the recently discontinued Cessna Mustang. The M2 didn’t just replace the Mustang; it vastly improved upon the Mustang and gave customers looking to get into the light jet community a bona fide star.
In regards to interior upgrades, Cessna hit the reset button for the Citation M2. Featuring the Garmin G3000 avionics suite, the Citation M2 gives pilots the best and most friendly avionics package on the market. With all the panels touchscreen enabled and fully integrated with the pilot’s electronic flight bag, the Cessna M2 gives pilots vastly more resources than its predecessor
The Garmin G3000 avionics package isn't the only interior upgrade. The folks at Cessna redesigned the entire interior layout. This reimagining of sorts increased the room available in the cabin and gave the M2 a modern interior.
Further and Faster
The Citation M2 can fly one pilot, as it’s single pilot rated, and four passengers over 1,000 miles at a high-speed cruise. This is due to the streamlined design of the M2 as well as the powerplant. Powered by the FJ44 Turbofans, the M2 gets as much as 15% more thrust over the previous version.
This improved power allows the Citation M2 to reach a true airspeed of almost 400 knots, while cruising at FL410. While this is remarkable on its own and not very common within the light jet market, the most interesting feat is how fast it gets to this altitude.
Thanks to the newly powered FJ44 engines, as well as the winglets for lift efficiency, the Citation M2 climbs 25% faster than its competitors within the light jet market. Pair this efficiency with the newly updated interior and quiet cabin, it’s easy to see why the Citation M2 is one of the most popular jets around.
