Gateway Jets: Citation CJ Line Brings Comfort and Efficiency to Jet Travel

By Carmelo Turdo

The Cessna Citation line of business jets offers a wide variety of models from which to choose, each providing the ideal combination of performance and efficiency to meet each owner's mission. Cessna (now Textron) produces the CitationJet, or CJ, fleet that has evolved and modernized over the last three decades. Along with new models, there are attractive and well-maintained pre-owned aircraft available for first-time jet owners and upgrade customers. This 1996 CitationJet, managed by Gateway Jets, is an example of an updated CJ that will serve the customer's travel needs for years to come.

The Aero Experience recently visited with Gateway Jets Founder and President, Corey Tomczak, to learn more about this aircraft. The CJ series is an update to the classic Citation Model 500 and includes ten sub-types that incorporate improvements in safety, efficiency and comfort without adding undue complexity. In today's market, the CJ is affordable jet transportation, especially when shared among several owners and professionally managed by Gateway Jets. 

The CJ is larger than the later-model Citation Mustang featured in a previous series of stories with Gateway Jets. "This is a step up in terms of speed, payload, range, carrying capacity as well as having lower entry-level costs," Tomczak told The Aero Experience. "Each one of the Citation family of jets that we manage fit the customer needs differently, and to their advantage."

This aircraft has seating for up to seven passengers: five dedicated passenger seats in club-plus-one arrangement; copilot seat if flying single crew; and belted lavatory seat in the rear of the aircraft. Flights can range from 500-1000nm or more depending on number of passengers, luggage and fuel on board. The CJ is certified to fly at 41,000 feet, though typical flights cruise at 34,000-38,000 feet.

The CJ design adds high-value refinements to the conventional airframe and flight control system of the original Citation. The two fuel-efficient and reliable Williams International FJ44 engines burn only 130 gallons/hour at 360kts. A laminar-flow wing design, the product of a joint-venture with NASA, incorporates a gentle sweep and an engine bleed-air leading edge anti-icing system. Baggage compartments are quite large and are conveniently hidden in the nose and cabin behind the aft bulkhead.  

This CJ has also received a significant avionics upgrade, replacing the original vacuum-powered instruments and aging navigation and communications aids with state-of-the-art Garmin products. Illustrated here are the Garmin G600TXI touchscreen main flight instrument displays, the G750 GPS/NAV/COM multi-function displays and GI 275 backup electronic attitude indicator in this well-equipped panel. The weight reduction realized in the avionics upgrade requires about 150lbs. of ballast to be carried in the nose cargo compartment when the aircraft is flown single-pilot. 

The Aero Experience joined Corey Tomczak on a local positioning flight from St. Louis Downtown Airport to St. Louis Regional Airport where the aircraft would receive some minor maintenance at West Star Aviation. In the video below, we introduce the features of the CJ and take a brief look at the flight experience.

Gateway Jets provides aircraft management services for the Cessna Citation series of jets, including the larger Excel/XLS/XLS+ models, from initial purchase to all aspects of air operations, maintenance and compliance. Current aircraft owners will quickly see the advantage of having their aircraft managed by Gateway Jets. For those ready to acquire an aircraft, Corey Tomczak and his team will help buyers define the mission for the new aircraft and choose the most appropriate aircraft type. They will assist in the purchase process, prepare a plan of operations and then work closely with the aircraft owner to ensure the aircraft and crew are ready to fly. Contact Gateway Jets today to find out how their aircraft management service can benefit you and your business. 

Gateway Jets: Setting the Standard for Aircraft Management In St. Louis

By Carmelo Turdo

Owning and operating your own jet or turboprop aircraft should be a very rewarding experience. What could be better than arriving at your destination in your own aircraft, on your own time, ready to step out and get on with your day? The practicality of flying there in a comfortable and efficient CitationJet, for example, is within reach of more business owners today with the help of the aircraft acquisition and management services provided by Gateway Jets.

Corey Tomczak started Gateway Jets in 2013 to provide personalized aircraft management services to the St. Louis market. Now with nine aircraft under contract, the company is the largest of its kind in the metropolitan area. Gateway Jets specializes in the Cessna Citation series, a proven design that offers an efficient and effective aircraft model for each customer's mission. Gateway Jets also manages other aircraft, including the TBM line of turboprops.

Getting the best value from your aircraft, and also running your own business, is not always feasible. That is where Gateway Jets can help. Corey Tomczak and his staff can expertly guide new owners and upgrade customers through the acquisition process and manage the aircraft's operation, crewing, maintenance and regulatory compliance.

“Gateway Jets is a company designed to give the client the best experience of owning an aircraft at a reasonable cost," Tomczak told The Aero Experience. "Our business is to provide a mission-ready, safe, clean aircraft while looking out for our client's best interests. We take care of the whole operation so that they can just arrive and fly knowing that their aircraft is in good hands. Leave the fine details up to us. Your only job is to arrive and fly.”

In many cases, an aircraft management company can turn a good business into a great business by providing direct, cost-effective air transportation to where the next big deal will be struck or to visit with regional site managers. Knowing that your aircraft is well maintained, stocked and crewed takes much of the stress away from using the aircraft as a great asset. St. Louis area aircraft owners can have that peace of mind when entrusting their aircraft to locally based Gateway Jets. 

Customer consulting is one way Gateway Jets adds value to their services. Most of the owners working with Gateway Jets are non-pilots or are not rated for the aircraft under management.

"I enjoy taking clients from step one," Tomczak explained. "They'll come to us with a mission, an intended budget. We analyze their mission, help them find a plane, and once they have the plane, we help them put a program in place that suits their budget as far as supplying pilots, maintenance and other services."  The result of the consultation is a cost-effective, practical plan for meeting the air transportation needs of the client.

"It's a time and money savings," Tomczak emphasized. "We can guarantee time and hassle savings by using our experience to do things the correct way. Even with our management fee, they will save money." Part of that savings comes from industry maintenance sourcing and budget forecasting services that greatly reduce the chances of the most common unexpected costs of aircraft ownership.

Gateway Jets has "written the book" on aircraft ownership. Their "10 Secrets of Personal Flight Management" provides key insights on the practical issues faced by new business aircraft owners. From flying to a neighboring state to jetting across the country, owning and operating increasingly sophisticated aircraft efficiently and cost-effectively takes a new level of expertise. Gateway Jets provides the aircraft management services that make aircraft ownership and operation a reality for growing local businesses.

In our next story and video presentation, The Aero Experience will meet again with Corey Tomczak for a flight in a CitationJet managed by Gateway Jets. Below are photos and videos from our previous coverage of Gateway Jets managed aircraft.

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.

Citation CJ Line Brings Comfort and Efficiency to Business Jet Travel, Part 3

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. Now in Part 3, The Aero Experience will discuss the aircraft acquisition process 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. 

"We like to break it down into three parts of the process," Tomczak told The Aero Experience. "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. 

Step One: Determine the Best Aircraft for the Mission  

Once an informed decision to purchase an aircraft is made, the acquisition process continues with a more in-depth review of the buyer's needs and resources. "We go over your finances, your mission, we evaluate how many people are going on the trip and what's important to you - upfront costs or on-going carrying costs," Tomczak explained. "These factors allow us to determine if it is a piston aircraft, a turboprop, a jet, a large jet. This varies greatly depending on where you'd like to go and how many people you are carrying. Once we determine which aircraft is right for you, we go over all the variables and come up with a proposal that covers every aspect of aircraft ownership. This includes training, maintenance, insurance - every little piece of the puzzle."

Step Two: Search for the Best Aircraft and Make an Offer

Once the aircraft type and model are chosen, then it is time to check the market for the best possible aircraft to meet the buyer's needs. "We look for an aircraft that meets your budget, aircraft age, flight hours and location," Tomczak continued. "After we determine which aircraft is right for you, we start the offer stage. Gateway Jets puts in an offer on your behalf and, if accepted, we draft a purchase agreement covering all the details." This is where attorneys of both the buyer and seller review the agreement before moving forward.

Step Three: Closing the Deal

"At this point," said Tomczak, "we've agreed on a price, we've agreed on a plane. Now we discuss who will do the pre-purchase inspection. An independent party looks at every piece of the aircraft, including the logbooks, to make sure it is as represented and safe."

The closing process involves additional interested parties: buyer and seller attorneys; accountants; tax specialists; and financial institution representatives. Gateway Jets, as the broker, keeps the process moving forward to a successful conclusion.

Gateway Jets is your source for aircraft management services from acquisition to flight operations and fleet upgrades. In Part Four of this series, we will explore the advantages of using aircraft management services offered by Gateway Jets. For more information, contact Gateway Jets and check out Part One and Part Two of this series.

Citation CJ Line Brings Comfort and Efficiency to Business Jet Travel, Part 2

By Carmelo Turdo

The Cessna Citation line of business jets offers a wide variety of models from which to choose, each providing the ideal combination of performance and efficiency for the owner's mission. To meet specific customer needs, Cessna (now Textron) has produced a Citation fleet that has evolved and modernized over five decades, with 7500 aircraft flying over 35 million hours. Along with new models, there are attractive and well-maintained pre-owned aircraft available for first-time jet owners and upgrade customers. One example, this 1995 CitationJet managed by Gateway Jets, is the subject of Part Two of this series.

The Aero Experience recently visited with Gateway Jets President Corey Tomczak to learn more about this CitationJet, or CJ, aircraft. The CJ is an update to the classic Citation Model 500 and one of eleven different sub-types of the Model 525. The CJ starts with the best qualities of the Citation design and makes improvements in safety, efficiency and comfort without adding undue complexity. In today's market, the CJ is affordable jet transportation, especially when shared among several owners and professionally managed by Gateway Jets.

The CJ is larger than the later-model Citation Mustang, featured in a previous series of stories with Gateway Jets. "This is a step up in terms of speed, payload, range, carrying capacity as well as having lower entry-level costs," Tomczak told The Aero Experience. "Each one of the Citation family of jets that we manage fit the customer needs differently, and to their advantage."

This aircraft has seating for five passengers (plus one in the cockpit right seat) in a comfortable club cabin arrangement. Typical flights range from 500-1000nm depending on number of passengers, luggage and fuel on board. Flying in pressurized comfort above the commercial airline traffic, on your own schedule, is now possible for more businesses and individual aircraft owners using the CitationJet. 

The CJ is powered by two fuel-efficient and reliable Williams International FJ44 engines, both of which are covered by the TAP Blue comprehensive engine maintenance program. A laminar-flow wing design, the product of a joint-venture with NASA,  incorporates a gentle sweep and engine bleed-air leading edge anti-icing system. Baggage compartments are quite large, and are conveniently hidden in the nose and rear cabin behind the aft bulkhead. 


The CitationJet is an excellent choice for getting into the business jet market. The CJ is a proven design, has relatively low initial and operating costs and is well supported by Williams International and Textron Aviation. This aircraft is ideal for single or multiple owners who need to travel quickly and efficiently to regional branch locations or to family vacation spots. It can be a first aircraft purchase or upgrade from a piston, turboprop or smaller jet aircraft type. 

Gateway Jets provides aircraft management services from initial purchase to all aspects of air operations, maintenance and compliance. Current aircraft owners will quickly see the advantage of having their aircraft managed by Gateway Jets. For those ready to acquire an aircraft, Corey Tomczak and his team will help buyers define the mission for the new aircraft and choose the most appropriate aircraft type. They will assist in the purchase process, prepare a plan of operations and then work closely with the aircraft owner to ensure the aircraft and crew are ready to fly.  

Check back next week for Part 3 of this series, where we will discuss the aircraft acquisition process with Gateway Jets President, Corey Tomczak. You can also always contact Gateway Jets for more information about their aircraft acquisition and management services.

Citation CJ Line Brings Comfort and Efficiency to Business Jet Travel, Part 1

By Carmelo Turdo

Owning and operating a Cessna Citation jet should be a pleasant and rewarding experience, and having the right aircraft management company on your side is an essential way to make it happen. What could be better than arriving at your destination in your own jet, on your own time, ready to step out and get on with your day? The availability of more affordable and efficient aircraft makes this a great time to invest in the model of Cessna Citation that best fits your mission needs.

The Aero Experience begins a new series featuring the Cessna CitationJet (CJ) managed by St. Louis-based Gateway Jets. We recently met with Corey Tomczak, President of Gateway Jets, who gave us a tour of a CJ-series aircraft and walked us through the purchase process. We will post a new edition of this series weekly through August. 

Gateway Jets manages a range of popular business aircraft types, including several in the Cessna Citation line. In this four-part series, we will feature the CitationJet, an update to the classic Citation 500 series and one of eleven different sub-types in the Cessna 525 line. The CitationJet takes the best qualities of the Citation design and offers improvements in safety, efficiency and comfort. In today's market, the CitationJet is affordable jet transportation, especially when shared among several owners and professionally managed by Gateway Jets.

Gateway Jets now makes owning and operating the CitationJet a viable option for a growing number of individuals and businesses. During an initial consultation with the potential owner, the mission is defined and search for the perfect aircraft is launched. Gateway Jets facilitates the purchase and then manages the operation of the aircraft for the convenience of their clients. The jet will be clean, well-maintained and ready to fly with an experienced Gateway Jets crew as scheduled when the owner arrives at the airport. Flight operations are handled in the safest and most economical way, ensuring the best overall customer experience.

In Part Two of this series, Gateway Jets President Corey Tomczak will discuss the design features and performance capabilities of the CitationJet. Later editions will include more details about the purchase process for the CitationJet and other popular business aircraft types.

For more information about their services, contact Gateway Jets today. Also, visit The Aero Experience and check out these stories:

Gateway Jets Brings the World of Aircraft Management to St. Louis, Parts One and Two
        

Gateway Jets: Managing the Citation Mustang, Parts One, Two and Three

Gateway Jets Sets the Standard for Aircraft Management Services