Overview
- Textron said the CJ3 Gen3 prototype completed its maiden flight on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, beginning formal flight testing toward FAA certification.
- Test pilots Steve Helmer and Dave Welbrock flew for nearly two hours with a focus on cockpit software and reached 41,000 feet and 278 knots indicated airspeed.
- The CJ3 Gen3 first flight brings all three of Textron’s next‑generation Citation light jets into flight testing, with the CJ4 Gen3 targeted for late 2026 and the CJ3 and M2 Gen3 targeted for entry into service in 2027, pending FAA approval.
- The jet keeps the Garmin G3000 flight deck and adds Garmin autothrottles and Emergency Autoland, and Textron lists a 2,040 nautical mile range, 2,135 pound payload, seating for up to 10, and about 1,000 pounds of baggage capacity.
- Textron will expand a broader flight‑test campaign to validate handling and systems before certification, a process that will determine whether the company’s published performance and cabin claims hold up and shape the jets’ appeal for single‑pilot safety and customer comfort.