Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau orders three Cessna Citation CJ4s

Cessna Citation CJ4 at BGAD 2013

The Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau has ordered three Cessna Citation CJ4s for use in flight inspection roles.

Cessna Citation CJ4 at BGAD 2013 (Photo: Terry Spruce).

The Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) has ordered three Cessna Citation CJ4 business jets through their special mission affiliate Kanematsu Corporation of Japan.

The aircraft will be used in flight inspection roles by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Civil Aviation Bureau to test Japanese airports air traffic control facilities and air navigation capabilities.

Based at Tokyo’s Haneda airport, the JCAB flight inspection unit currently operates a fleet of six aircraft, with the CJ4 becoming the smallest aircraft in the fleet when they are delivered in the third quarter of 2015.

As well as two Gulfstream IVs and two Bombardier Global 6000 business jets, the JCAB also operates one Bombardier Dash 8 and two Saab 2000 turboprops.

If the aircraft follow the usual JCAB registration sequence then the aircraft will be registered as JA008G, JA009G and JA010G, however JA008G and JA009G were noted in use during a JCAB open day at Haneda airport in 2010 on a pair of bicycles.

Although the JCAB Citation CJ4s will be the first of the type in the country, Cessna has a long history of successful sales campaigns in Japan, with Citation business jets making up the majority of civil usage private jets in the country.

“Japan plays an important role in the financial operations of the Asian economy. Business aviation has transformed the way business is done around the world, and Japan is no exception. Businesses in Japan are taking notice of the efficiencies and flexibility offered by business aviation,” says Bill Harris, vice president of sales for Asia and Asia Pacific for Cessna.

He added: “A Citation’s short runway performance gives its passengers more options for swift, convenient access to thousands of destinations. As time goes on, we are confident more corporations will see Citation jets as consistent, valuable business tools providing more time and opportunity to conduct business.”