Friday, August 28, 2020

Citation CJ Line Brings Comfort and Efficiency to Business Jet Travel, Part 4

By Carmelo Turdo
The Cessna CitationJet, or CJ, line of aircraft has made owning and operating a business jet accessible and affordable for more people in recent years. The CJ1 through CJ4 offer a combination of performance and efficiency to fly up to eight people on trips from 500-1000nm. In Parts 1 and 2 of this series, we featured a CJ managed by Gateway Jets in St. Louis. In Parts 3 and 4 below, The Aero Experience covers the aircraft acquisition process and mission profiles with the President of Gateway Jets, Corey Tomczak.

Gateway Jets provides aircraft management services from initial purchase to all aspects of air operations, maintenance and compliance. Corey Tomczak and his team are ready to help the buyer navigate the acquisition process from concept to reality.

The Acquisition Process
 
"We like to break it down into three parts of the process," Tomczak told The Aero Experience in our previous post. "Step One is determining which aircraft is right for you. Step Two is finding an aircraft in the market and getting an offer accepted. And Step Three is the closing process." Tomczak also mentioned that determining if an aircraft purchase is even appropriate for the prospective buyer is an essential part of the initial consultation.

The Citation CJ featured in this series was purchased by three owners who upgraded from a turboprop model. The jet has new paint, new interior, low total flight time, low engine time and the TAP Blue comprehensive engine maintenance program. The deal was made within a month, and the new owners were flying shortly after the purchase was completed.

Another example of a recent aircraft purchase brokered by Gateway Jets involved a Citation XLS+, a larger business jet than the CJ line featured in this series. Within the two-month period allotted by the buyer, Gateway Jets used their relationships with dealers, brokers and the manufacturer to secure the aircraft at a cost below the retail market value. 

"All deals are unique," Tomczak said, "and even the most complex acquisitions are managed in a timely manner in a professional way at Gateway Jets. We specialize in three types of aircraft. You can purchase a piston, twin-engine aircraft such as a Cessna 310 or Beechcraft Baron. We also specialize in turboprops, including the SOCATA TBM as well as the entire King Air line of aircraft. For jet aircraft, we specialize in the Cessna Citation jet line, which ranges from the Citation Mustang to the CJ Series all the way up to the stand-up cabin XLS+ and beyond." Each aircraft type fulfills a different flight profile and mission according to the needs of the customer.


Aircraft Management Services

"Some of the services that Gateway Jets oversees in our management package include insurance, crew training, maintenance, cleaning and stocking the aircraft, database updates and FAA regulation compliance," Tomczak told The Aero Experience. These areas are essential for aircraft ownership even before the flight begins. "With Gateway Jets," Tomczak continued, "you will have a friendly, professional flight crew and a clean, safe and ready to go aircraft." 

Typically, the aircraft owner will contact Gateway Jets several days in advance of a desired flight. A crew will be assigned, and a flight plan is developed incorporating the closest airport to the destination, lowest available fuel prices, rental cars and hotel accommodations. The aircraft is crewed and ready to fly a half hour before departure time, flight plan is filed, and the flight is ready to launch. Once at the destination, the passengers are met on the apron by the rental car or other ground transportation arrangement and a productive day in a new city can begin. 

Gateway Jets offers flexibility to the aircraft owner during the trip. The crew and the aircraft can stay at the destination during the trip or return to the home airport depending on customer needs and the most cost-effective option. The crew will prepare the aircraft for the next flight and ensure that it is clean and secure during the layover.

The following videos illustrate the Citation CJ and Citation Mustang, both managed by Gateway Jets. For more information about acquiring your next aircraft and the management services offered by Gateway Jets, contact Gateway Jets today.




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