Citation III/VI/VII
Cessna Model 650 Citation III was designed for a higher performance, midsize long range corporate jet. Citation III is much bigger than the small Citation I and II. Development of the jet began in 1978, as it evolved it had little to do with the previous models I and II. The new and improved design featured a supercritical wing for high speed and long range flight, also equipped with Garrett TFE731 turbofans, a Ttail.
The Citation III made its first flight, May 30, 1979 with its second prototype flying on May 2, 1980. On April 30, 1982 it was granted certification, then a year after it was making its first customer deliveries. The Citation III set is first records flying from Gander to Le Bourget in just five hours and thirteen minutes.
Production improvements all started on the jet once the cancellation of the Citation IV was made. In 1989 the model was announce to have a longer range with greater fuel tankage and much better short field performance. In Citation III’s place Cessna decided to construct VI and VII. Citation VI was just a low cost replica of the Citation III model but with an interior layout and different packages. Citation VI took its first flight in 1991 but only made about 35 of them when production wound up in May of 1995.
Citation VII was an improvement on all past models, better engines for hot and high performance. The first prototype took flight in February of 1991 and then became certified in 1992. The Citation VII is the only model out of all the Citation models that are still being built as of today.
Executive Jet Aviation has order twenty for its NetJets service for delivery in 1997.
