E-Aviation of Stuttgart, Germany, is adding a further CJ4 to its fleet. The operator has flown the entire CitationJet range, including 1s, 2s and 3s, since its formation seven years ago. “The CJ4 is a perfect addition which is covering missions we couldn’t do before,” says ceo Alfred Eisele. “One example is that we can go from Dusseldorf or Stuttgart non-stop to the Canary Islands with four passengers and bags.

“We can also use a lot of smaller airports, with more people on board, such as Lugano with its runway of 4,100ft. We can now do this with eight passengers whereas with the CJ3 we could do it with three passengers, and with a CJ1, one passenger. So range payload is a big factor.”

Eisele appreciates the speed that the CJ4 offers, and is generous in his praise of the whole Citation series, to which he has remained loyal: “The Citation range is the widest portfolio offered by any manufacturer, I believe. All the CitationJet aircraft are under one type rating, which makes it really easy for crews using that same type rating.

“You have to do a transition course from various models: from the CJ3 to the CJ4 you have to do a switch from the first CJ to the Collins ProLine equipment. However, it is a minor adjustment and it is affordable.”

Eisele’s company already operates a fleet of CJ4 aircraft, and he wanted to invest in order to maintain the commonality of the fleet. This aircraft is the fourth CJ4 on the E-Aviation roster, and one is positioned in Dusseldorf, one in Frankfurt while two are stationed in Stuttgart. He says that these are strong locations for the operator as they make the operation available “right in front of our regional customers.”

He adds that, from his perspective, the market has been strong throughout the past three years. “We have regular customers, and they come and go with the business. If the economy is good, of course we have more demand. I should add that the broker business has increased incredibly in the last five years. More brokers have been emerging, and they help to improve and expand the business.”

The operator flew 3,700 hours for the combined fleet in 2013, and this year it is set to approach the 4,000 mark. In addition to the four CJ4s the fleet has a King Air, a CJ1, a CJ2+, two CJ3s and two Sovereigns. The latest aircraft comes as a replacement for the oldest CJ4, which joined in 2011 and averages 800 hours a year.