Textron Aviation announced Monday that its Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen3, CJ3 Gen3 and M2 Gen3 have accumulated more than 1,220 combined flight test hours as the company works toward FAA certification. All three aircraft will feature Garmin Emergency Autoland, which can automatically guide an aircraft to a suitable airport and land following pilot incapacitation or another emergency.
CJ4 Leads Flight Testing
According to Textron Aviation, the CJ4 Gen3 has logged nearly 1,100 flight test hours across two aircraft. Recent testing has included hot-weather operations and electrical system certification. The company also announced Tuesday that the first production CJ4 Gen3 has rolled out of its Wichita factory. The aircraft features Garmin G3000 PRIME avionics and integrated autothrottles.
“Watching an autonomous system take control of the airplane and safely guide it to a landing in an emergency is remarkable,” Textron Aviation flight test pilot Corey Eckhart said in a September update detailing a successful CJ4 Gen3 Emergency Autoland test.
Other Gen3 Programs
Meanwhile, the CJ3 Gen3 has completed more than 60 flight test hours, with current testing focused on landing and braking performance. The M2 Gen3 has accumulated more than 75 hours and is approaching simulated in-flight emergency activation testing, including automated airport selection and landing. The M2 Gen3 completed its first flight in June.
Garmin expects Emergency Autoland certification for all three Citation Gen3 models in 2027. The system can be activated manually by a passenger or automatically following a lack of pilot interaction. It handles navigation, emergency communications and landing without further intervention. Garmin recently announced that Autoland has been installed on more than 2,500 aircraft across more than 15 models.
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