Citation Bravo

BRIEF HISTORY – MODEL 550 – BRAVO (1997-2006)

CESSNA MODEL S550 | CITATION S/II (1984-1997)CESSNA MODEL 550 | CITATION II (1978-1995)
Cessna Citation II, model 550, Light Jet is part of the Citation family of aircraft. The Model 550, a stretched version of the Citation I, which was unveiled way back in September 1976, achieved its maiden flight on January 31, 1977, and was certified in March 1978.After its introduction for the 1978 model year, Cessna’s Citation II was an instant hit. Civilians, corporations, governments, military, and other operators all over the world deployed C-550s for a variety of purposes over its almost two decade (16-years) production run. When it came to cabin capacity, short-field capability, performance, and economics, the II possessed the correct recipe and the market was ripe for the picking. On February 14, 1984, the revised S/II flew for the first time and would take over production for the II for a short period of time. The Citation II would go back into production prior to the Bravo replacing it. When production ended they had produced 688 Citation II’s and 160 S550’s (S/II).Even the world’s most popular light jet, though, has a shelf life. Because of advancements in engine design, the Citation II was reincarnated as the Bravo, like so many other designs in aviation. Add some modern glass avionics and address issues that irritated pilots and passengers, and you’ve got yourself a new Citation model. April 25, 1995, the Citation II and S/II were upgraded with new avionics and P&WC PW530A turbofans.The Citation Bravo was introduced in 1996 and flew for ten years, maintaining the popular and reliable C550 airframe while adding modern engines, avionics, and trailing-link main landing gear. The Bravo bridged the gap between the CitationJet and the Citation V in the day’s lineup.

CABIN COMFORTS – CITATION BRAVO
The interior is heated and air-conditioned, and an engine bleed air pressurization system maintains a pressure differential of 8.8 psi in the cabin. The interior has a typical seven-seat layout with four passengers in club chairs facing each other and three additional club seats that can be customized to the operator’s specifications. Without the cockpit, the cabin measures 4 feet 9 inches in height, 4 feet 8 inches in width, and 15 feet 8 inches in length.The comfort of the Citation Bravo is one of the elements that sets it apart from the competition. The cabin was designed to be extremely silent, with bagged insulation and an insulated interior shell to avoid the low-frequency engine fan noise that is typical of tiny private airplanes. A secondary seal on the cabin door was also installed to reduce wind noise. The combined capacity of the nose, cabin, and tail cone baggage lockers is 74 cubic feet, which is enough room for seven suitcases, four golf bags, and a few pairs of skis. Coats and carry-on goods can be stored in a convenient compartment beside the cabin lavatory, and all seats have storage drawers beneath them. The jet can comfortably accommodate 6-8 passengers.

POWER AND PERFORMANCE – CITATION BRAVO
Two Pratt & Whitney PW530A engines power the Citation Bravo. Each engine generates thrust of 2,287 lbs. Flights to and from airports with 3,600 feet runway strips are possible because of its increased runway performance. No other light-sized private airplanes used the PW530A engines at the time of its creation.They use a third less fuel than the rest of the series’ engines. Cessna engineers recognized their potential and included it into the Citation Bravo. The Bravo has a 150-pound reduction in fuel carrying capacity, a 500-pound increase in maximum takeoff weight, and yet burns less pounds of fuel per hour. In ten minutes, the aircraft travels to an altitude of 25,0000 feet at maximum take-off weight, and in 32 minutes, it reaches 43,000 feet. With full fuel and a maximum take-off weight the range is over 1,600 miles! The aircraft can cruise at a top speed of 400 knots (740 km/h). The Citation Bravo has a range of 1,650 nautical miles.

CHARTER A CITATION BRAVO – OVER 5 DECADES OF INNOVATION
Cessna’s Citation Bravo while no longer produced, left its mark on the light jet segment and you can still see it in the newest aircraft being released from Cessna like the Citation CJ4. Cessna put a lot of effort over the years with releasing updated variants to remain competitive. The Model 550 was the foundation and the backbone of light jets. The Bravo has essentially been around in previous forms for over five decades! There is a reason they have been around so long, come find out! CharterJets Inc. features the newest and highest safety rated Citation Bravo’s available. Reach out today to discuss your upcoming travel!