by Rob Finfrock

Aviation International News reported this month that Textron Aviation has officially stricken the Cessna Citation CJ2+ from its product lineup, although chances are good they’ll still build one for you if you really want one.

Entering service in 2000 as the first derivative of the C525 CitationJet, the original CJ2 (C525A) offered a 33” cabin stretch over the CJ1, a similar increase in wingspan, and significant bumps in speed, range, maximum takeoff weight, and maximum fuel weight. That model was supplanted in 2005 by the CJ2+ that added Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics, and full authority digital engine control (FADEC) for its Williams International FJ44 turbofans.

Although the CJ2+ became one of Cessna’s most successful turbine aircraft, newer models have largely taken over its spot in the Citation line. A company spokeswoman told AIN that the Citation M2 and CJ3+, in particular, “have proven to be a great fit for our customers in this space.”

AIN cited delivery figures published by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) showing that Textron Aviation last delivered a CJ2+ in the second quarter of 2014. The CJ2+ was also conspicuously absent in Cessna’s announcements of changeovers to Garmin avionics in many new-build Citations and CJs, although the manufacturer did announce a G3000 retrofit option for existing CJ2+ models in early 2015.

While the CJ2+ will no longer appear among Cessna’s current Citation offerings, the spokeswoman told AIN that Cessna can still build a CJ2+ “if required for a customer mission,” as the model was produced on the same line with the CJ3+ and CJ4.