Single pilot light jet

[Jetdriver69]

Appreciate your input on this. What is you opinion of the best value, easiest to operate and maintain, newer model of single pilot certified jet. Upgrading from a turbo prop, but have many hours of jet instructor time, so single pilot IFR shouldn't be a problem. Budget about 2.5 million. Thanks.

jet

 

[h25b]

I won't pretend to know anything operationally about them, but I took a look at the Cessna CJ2 a little while ago. Thought it was pretty impressive and really seemed to be layed out well for single pilot operations up front.

 

[GVFlyer]

Cessna has an excellent program for single pilot ops. Their concept is not to build an airplane qualified for single pilot operations, but to qualify a pilot to operate their aircraft single pilot.

GV

 

[501261]

I wouldn’t recommend looking for an airplane that is single pilot capable. Being Single Pilot capable is really only of interest to owner/pilots. Look for an airplane that is best for the mission. Why spend an extra $500k just so you don’t have to hire a copilot (i.e. difference in price between a LR31 and a CJ1)?

Now once you have settled on an airplane that bests fits the mission, and it just so happens to be something that is SP capable, you need to ask yourself why am I going to operate it Single Pilot? Saving money should never be a reason to operate SP. If the operator needs to save a couple dollars by not hiring an SIC, what is going to happen when that airplane come up for a Phase 5 ($100K)? Realistically, when you add up all the costs, it’s probably cheaper to simply hire an SIC.

So back to your question, what SP capable airplane would you recommend for about $2.5M? Well, you’re basically stuck with a Citation.

Here’s a list of Citations that are SP certified under $2.5M: C501, C551, C525 (the CJ2, a C525A is about $3.8M).

Also, for under $2.5M you can fly these Citations SP with a waiver. C500, C550, S550, C560 (early model V’s are about $2.8M).

Since you stated a “newer” model, I guess your only real choice is the 6 seat, 330knot, CitationJet (C525). It is a great transition from a turboprop and probably one of the simplest airplanes to fly ever manufactured.

 

[pilot1704]

Absolutely Citation product!

with that money you can get great citation product, maybe few years old citatin jet!

Easy to operate, cheap, reliability is big issue,maintanence available and product been around years!

 

[English]

Newer model jet, single pilot under 2.5 mil? A used CJ is your only bet, as 501261 stated.

It's very simple to fly.

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

Any of the 500's(older I know but meets your budget), 550's (2.5 up to about 1992 or so, go up after that) and the CJ.

All the Citations except for the XL, 650's(III,VII) and 750's (X) are pretty much the same....simple to operate, basically a Bonanza or Baron(I know, not Cessna, but they fly better than a 310!!) with blowers. Technically they are a jet, but with the straight wings it is hard for even a novice to screw up. I see some 550 drivers do things that would kill you in a swept wing airplane, but the airplane is so forgiving that they keep motoring along oblivious to their "jet fopah"

The 550 is the easiest jet I have ever flown(maybe even the easiest twin), and the 525 is basically the same except a T Tail. Single pilot ops is no sweat, the 550's require the waiver, but that is mostly just a formality if you have the experience(insurance drives the SP market). Many of the systems are interchangable and the instrument panels are very close to each other. About the only changes you will see up front between 500's, 550's, 560's and the 525's is avionics and glass, and if they are Thrust reverser equipped or not. (525's do not have TR's, just attenuators.

The 500 type covers the 500's, 550's(all series) the 560's (except the XL) The 525 type covers CJ,CJ1,CJ2 and as far as I know the CJ3 is included.

SP ops are good for the sp varients of the 500's and the sp version of the 550 (you take a weight penalty to be certified sp) All the rest of the 550's and 560's (except the XL) can be flown single pilot with a waiver that must be renewed once every 12 months. No weight penalty if you have the waiver as opposed to the "SP 550"

The 525's have an SP and two pilot type rating availible, depending on the ride you take. Point is, with the SP type rating on the 525 you do away with the waiver that is required for the 550's

The Cj basically replaced the Citation I, the CJ2 replaces the Citation II's and varients(Bravo etc), and the CJ3 (way out of your price range of 2.5) will replace the 560's (Ultra,encore etc.)

There you go....clear as mud, It is tough to keep up with the Citations, there are so many. You have to just about carry a note pad around to know what versions you are legal to fly on what type rating!! I think all the info I gave you is correct but I'm sure that I left a varient or two out since there are so many.

All in All though, it is a good airplane, with a good useful load, not the fastest thing out there but it will get in almost anywhere that a King air will, and the later model 550's and 560's are only 50 to 70 knots slower than most of their swept wing counterparts.(mach .67 and .70) Not much of a difference over the range of the plane. Most of the 550's and 560's will get you 1200 to 1700 nm on a tank of fuel with reserves.

 

[GIVDRIVER]

Since you stated a “newer” model, I guess your only real choice is the 6 seat, 330knot, CitationJet (C525). It is a great transition from a turboprop and probably one of the simplest airplanes to fly ever manufactured.[/QUOTE]

I have to agree 100% with this statement. I've flown the 500, 550 and the 525, the latter, single pilot out of southern California to numerous mountain airports in Colorado and throughout the southwest. I was also flying an F90 and a B200 KingAir for the same family at the time and I'd take the Citation over the KingAirs every chance I could.

The 525, a '94 CJ1 was by far the best of the Citations and a dream compared to the KingAirs as far as its performance, ease in handling, and cockpit layout/avionics. With its trailing link gear you can't make a bad landing. It's a C-172 with jet engines, it's that easy to fly!

Great in the weather, especially since unlike the early Citations with boots on the the outer portion of the wings and an electrcally heated inner wing portion, the 525 has an all bleed air heated wing with only boots on the tail.

This 525 had the KNS 90B GPS mounted high on the dash which could be tuned with one hand with your head up and out of the cockpit. With its dual concentric knobs it made tuning a breeze even in moderate turbulance. Try his with a low mounted keypad while bouncing around and you'll know what I mean.

I also did all of my training and the single pilot type ride in the aircrft and once again the airpalne was an absolute dream to fly. Very few maintenance issues and good customer support from Cessna in the two years that I few it

 

[English]

Good points GIVdriver. However, I had different experiences with Cessna. I flew an early serial number CJ2 and numerous early and mid-serial number CJs, and they definitely had some issues that kept them at the Citation Service Center more often than I thought was acceptable. Besides maintenance, I had the exact same experiences you described.

 

[FracCapt]

Great in the weather, especially since unlike the early Citations with boots on the the outer portion of the wings and an electrcally heated inner wing portion, the 525 has an all bleed air heated wing with only boots on the tail.

Hmmm...that doesn't make much sense to me. How do you know WHEN you have enough(but not TOO much) of an an accumulation of ice on the tail to cycle the boots without having the wing for reference? Seems to me they should have made the tail either bleed or electric heat.

 

[GIVDRIVER]

Hmmm...that doesn't make much sense to me. How do you know WHEN you have enough(but not TOO much) of an an accumulation of ice on the tail to cycle the boots without having the wing for reference? Seems to me they should have made the tail either bleed or electric heat

Well, not really a big problem since if you really crank your head around you can see the outer foot or so of the tail boots. I can't remember what the exact procedures were for tail deicing plus I don't remember there being a light for night operations. However I spent two winters flying in and out of Aspen, Montrose, Eagle, Grand Junction, Colorado and don't remember any difficulties, but it's been several years.