Cessna revealed it was developing the CJ3, a stretched CJ2, at the 2002 NBAA convention. Cessna recorded 156 orders at that Orlando convention alone.
The CJ3, in size, cost, and performance, fits in a narrow niche between the Citation Bravo and CJ2.
The CJ3 is a CJ2 with a two-foot stretch to the cabin length allowing standard seating for six in a center club configuration. The CJ3 can also have a private lavatory with pocket doors, made possible by the lengthened fuselage. Like the CJ2, the CJ3 features the Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite. In the CJ3, the copilot position comes with the primary flight display as standard. The CJ3 has upgraded Williams FJ44-3A engines that produce 2,780 pounds of thrust.
Certification was received in mid-2004 with deliveries following shortly thereafter.
