Cessna Ramps Up Citation X Elite Program, Mulls Expansion to Other Citations

For $6.5 million, buyers get a fully refurbished and upgraded pre-owned Citation X with a transferrable five-year ProParts warranty. Meyer called it “the best value in business aviation,” noting that Vref differentiates the Elite with a $2.5 million bump and that PNC Aviation Finance has pledged to finance these aircraft.

As part of the refurbishment, the aircraft are stripped, repainted and corrosion-proofed, and new wheels, brakes and tires are installed, as is a new horizontal trim actuator. The flight deck is upgraded with a Honeywell Primus Elite avionics with LCD panels, while the cabin gets a new interior, cabin management system and Wi-Fi.

At press time, the fourth Elite was scheduled to roll out of the Wichita factory service center, where a dedicated team refurbishes the aircraft in about 3.5 months. Meyer, who is overseeing the program, hopes eventually to reduce downtime to three months. A fifth aircraft is scheduled to be completed in May.

According to Meyer, Cessna could expand the program to other Citations. He confirmed that the Excel and Sovereign are on the short list.