Cessna Citation Bravo

The Cessna Citation Bravo is the last member of the family that began with the Citation II. It kept the wing and fuselage of the Citation S/II but received Pratt & Whitney Canada PW530A engines, Honeywell Primus 1000 digital avionics, trailing-link main gear and the interior of the Citation Ultra.

From European hubs the Citation Bravo suits legs of one to three hours: Munich to Samedan in 0:51 h, Geneva to Palma in 1:38 h, Paris to Lisbon in 2:35 h.

Cabin: seven seats and a closed toilet

Four club seats in the middle of the Citation Bravo face each other in pairs, with folding tables. Behind them two seats face forward, and a seventh stands by the entrance, usually next to a refreshment cabinet. At the rear, sliding doors close off the toilet; its seat has a belt and serves as an eighth place for take-off and landing.

Seated, adults have enough room, but the aisle means bending. With four on board everyone gets a window and space for a laptop; with seven every seat is taken and cabin bags have to stay small. There is no galley, so catering means cold dishes, and a flight attendant usually does not fly.

Baggage: suitcases, skis and golf bags

The Citation Bravo stores luggage in a nose compartment, a tail compartment and a locker at the back of the cabin. Together they hold 2.07 m³, more than the 1.84 m³ of the newer CJ3, enough for about five suitcases. The tail hold is long enough for skis and golf bags; give their number and length with the request.

A dog or cat travels in the cabin next to its owner once the operator has agreed. Within the EU it needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination (the first one at least 21 days before travel) and an EU pet passport; Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway and the UK also require tapeworm treatment for dogs 1-5 days before entry, and the UK accepts animals only via approved routes and airports.

Speed, range and runways

Cessna quoted 2,778 km for the Citation Bravo: full tanks, cruise speed, NBAA IFR reserves and a 370 km alternate. With a full cabin at economy cruise the figure drops to about 2,389 km, and westbound headwinds cut it further, so we treat about three hours as the practical limit.

At its maximum take-off weight of 6,713 kg the Citation Bravo needs about 1,280 m of runway at sea level:

• Cannes-Mandelieu (1,539 m) and Sion (2,000 m, mountain approach) are within reach
• Samedan (1,799 m at about 1,700 m elevation) takes a crew trained for the airport, and on warm days the load may be cut
• Lugano (1,414 m) and London City (1,508 m) have steep approaches open only to approved operators and crews; we check the specific aircraft, otherwise Milan or Farnborough
• Saint-Tropez La Môle (1,071 m) and the sloped Courchevel altiport (537 m, special qualification only) are too short: the alternatives are Cannes-Mandelieu and Chambéry

Flying an older light jet in Europe

Citation Bravo flights from European hubs

Thirty one-way routes from all thirteen hubs, from Munich - Samedan (0:51 h) to Madrid - Tenerife (3:06 h), all non-stop. Prices are for the whole aircraft with crew, before airport fees and passenger taxes.

Under two hours: Alps, Riviera and islands

Two to four hours: Iberia, the Aegean and the Atlantic

• Hamburg - Palma (2:52 h), Munich - Mykonos (2:50 h) and Madrid - Tenerife (3:06 h) work with four or five passengers; with seven, full baggage and a headwind the operator may plan a fuel stop.
• Mykonos gives private aircraft about 40 minutes of parking in summer, so the jet waits at another airport.

The calculator shows an indicative price for this model or another light jet on your route.

What a Citation Bravo charter costs

The rate starts at EUR 3,200 per flight hour for the whole aircraft, with two pilots and fuel. A short leg costs far more than the rate: Zurich - Cannes takes 1:09 h and starts at EUR 8,000, because positioning, the operator's minimum charge and handling weigh heavily on a short trip.

On longer legs those fixed costs matter less. Amsterdam - Barcelona (2:16 h) starts at EUR 11,500 and Hamburg - Palma (2:52 h) at EUR 13,500. The price does not change with the number of passengers.

London Farnborough - Nice for the whole aircraft and per person, before airport fees and taxes:

Ways to pay less

• Same-day return on a short leg such as Zurich - Cannes: no crew hotel and no second positioning
• A flexible departure time, so that an aircraft finishing a trip nearby can fly you
• A CJ2, CJ3 or Encore based closer than the nearest Citation Bravo: the hourly rate is the same, the positioning shorter
• For two or three passengers on a one-hour hop, the Cessna Citation M2 costs less per hour

Empty Legs on this type

Empty Legs on the Citation Bravo turn up occasionally rather than every week, since few aircraft fly in European charter. Typical ones are returns to base from the Riviera, the Balearics and Sardinia in summer and from Geneva or Sion in winter, and they can cost 30-60% less than a standard charter.

Similar Citations to compare

Clients weighing the Citation Bravo usually compare it with these Citations.

How to request the aircraft

Send the route, date, time, passengers and bags (skis and golf bags separately), any pets, and airports needing approvals, such as London City or Samedan. We check aircraft with operators holding an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and always try to add a second option, but each case depends on the operator's contract.

Within Schengen there is no passport control, yet the operator needs passport or ID details for every passenger; EU citizens flying to the UK need an ETA.

Questions about the Citation Bravo

• • How much does a Citation Bravo flight cost?

  • From EUR 3,200 per flight hour for the whole aircraft. Geneva - Palma costs from EUR 9,500, London Farnborough - Nice from EUR 10,500 and Paris Le Bourget - Lisbon from EUR 12,500 one way, before airport fees and passenger taxes.

• • Why does a one-hour flight cost more than the hourly rate?

  • Positioning, the minimum charge and handling are paid on every trip. On Munich - Samedan (0:51 h) they make up most of the EUR 7,000. Airport fees and taxes, such as about EUR 420 per passenger from France on a European route, come on top.

• • How can I fly the Citation Bravo for less?

  • Return the same day on short legs, keep the time flexible and let us also quote a CJ2 or CJ3 based nearer: the rate is the same, so less positioning means a lower total.

• • Are there Empty Legs on this jet?

  • Occasionally, mostly returns from the Riviera and the islands in summer. They can be 30-60% cheaper, but the date is fixed and the leg can be cancelled.

• • How many passengers can fly?

  • Seven in seats, and an eighth on the belted toilet seat. Over two hours six is the sensible maximum, leaving weight for fuel and bags.

• • Is there a proper toilet?

  • Yes, a separate compartment at the rear behind sliding doors.

• • How far does it fly without a stop?

  • About 2,389 km with a full cabin. Paris - Lisbon is easy, Hamburg - Palma works with fewer passengers, and northern Europe to the Canary Islands needs a fuel stop.

• • Can my dog come along?

  • Yes, in the cabin next to you once the operator agrees. For the UK the flight must use an approved route and an airport that accepts animals.

• • Can it land at London City or Courchevel?

  • London City only with an operator and crew approved for the steep approach, which we check for each aircraft; otherwise Farnborough or Luton. Courchevel no: the 537 m altiport is too short, so the Citation Bravo lands at Chambéry or Geneva.