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Citation CJ3 Gen3 enters flight test with Garmin Emergency Autoland as Textron Aviation’s Gen3 light-jet lineup advances toward

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Textron Aviation says the Citation CJ3 Gen3 has achieved first flight and is now in the same flight-test program as the CJ4 Gen3 and M2 Gen3. The aircraft will incorporate Garmin Emergency Autoland and customer-inspired enhancements as the company advances the Gen3 light-jet certification effort.

Discovered 2026-07-29T10:34:53.402695-07:00 | 2026-07-29T10:34:53.402695-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • The CJ3 Gen3’s first flight extends Textron Aviation’s Gen3 entry into the flight-test phase alongside the CJ4 Gen3 and M2 Gen3, tightening the program’s certification timeline.
  • The inclusion of Garmin Emergency Autoland and other customer-driven updates signals an incremental upgrade strategy for the light-jet market, potentially affecting competitive positioning versus alternative entry-level business jets.
  • This work builds on Textron’s broader Gen3 certification pathway for the Citation M2 Gen3, giving executives a clearer view of how multiple airframes are being advanced in parallel.

Reported By

AINonline Textron
Sources Tracked
2
First Seen
2026-07-29T10:34:53.402695-07:00
Latest Update
2026-07-29T10:42:06.877037-07:00
Coverage
Aviation

Sources

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