Textron Rolls Out First Production Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen3

The first production Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen3 rolled out of Textron Aviation's Wichita factory on October 20, 2026, roughly two years after the program was announced and one year past its original service target.

Textron confirmed the rollout marks an "important milestone as the aircraft advances toward entry into service." That service date has moved: when Textron unveiled the Gen3 light-jet family in October 2024 — the M2 Gen3, CJ3 Gen3 and CJ4 Gen3 — the company targeted 2026 entry into service for the CJ4. The schedule now points to 2027.

The certification campaign is well advanced. Two test articles have accumulated nearly 1,100 flight test hours, with recent work covering hot weather trials and electrical system certification testing.

What does the Gen3 bring to operators?

Cessna positions the CJ4 Gen3 as the first light jet on the market with Garmin Emergency Autoland — the automated system that lands the aircraft without pilot input if the crew becomes incapacitated.

The performance figures the company publishes for the type:

• Maximum range of 2,165 nautical miles
• Seating for up to 11 occupants
• Useful load of 6,930 pounds

The CJ4 Gen3 is the next evolution of Textron Aviation's largest Citation light jet, and the rollout gives the program its first concrete production hardware beyond the flight-test fleet.

Who is building it, and what comes next?

Eric Cardinali, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing Operations at Textron Aviation, framed the rollout as proof of the factory's execution rather than a marketing event.

"This rollout is a visible result of the care, precision and teamwork that move an aircraft from design intent to a production-ready airplane," Cardinali said. "For our manufacturing teams, it represents the disciplined execution behind every milestone — translating customer-driven innovation into a high-quality aircraft built to perform."

He added: "I'm proud of the craftsmanship and collaboration that brought the first Citation CJ4 Gen3 production unit to this point."

For buyers and fleet operators, the numbers that matter now are certification ones. Nearly 1,100 test hours across two aircraft is solid progress, but type certification and the 2027 service entry remain the gates between this rollout and revenue flights — and Textron has already shown that its own schedule for the program can slip by a year.

By Nathan Brooks, Flightdeck Report