Citation V/Ultra
The Cessna Citation V/Ultra is a midsize jet seating eight passengers in a 17.3-foot cabin, 4.8 feet wide and 4.8 feet tall, with a belted lavatory. Range is 2,300 nautical miles at 426 knots with a 45,000-foot service ceiling. Against the midsize category average, the Citation V/Ultra matches on seating (8 vs 8 avg) and nearly matches on range (2,300 vs 2,310nm avg) but runs 29 knots below average speed (426 vs 455 ktas avg) and has a considerably narrower cabin (4.8ft vs 5.6ft avg). The narrow width traces to the aircraft's origin: the Model 560 stretched the Citation S/II fuselage by 1.5 feet, so the cabin retained the light jet's 4.8-foot width. Two Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-5 series turbofans power the aircraft; the Ultra variant uses JT15D-5D engines producing 3,045 lbs of thrust each.
The 37 US Part 135 aircraft operate across 25 operators. Chrysler Aviation holds 5 aircraft, Aitheras Aviation Group 4, Venture Aviation Group and Premier Private Jets 3 each. No active empty legs appear in current listings, consistent with older Cessna Citations concentrating in corporate owner-operator programs rather than open charter.
Charter rates run approximately $3,500 to $4,500 per hour. Used Citation V and Ultra aircraft trade from $1.5 million to $3.5 million depending on variant and total airframe time.
Specs at a glance
Interior & cabin
| Passengers | 8 |
| Cabin length | 17.3 ft |
| Cabin width | 4.8 ft |
| Cabin height | 4.8 ft |
| Baggage volume | 71 cu ft |
| Lavatory | Belted, curtained |
| Galley | No |
| Wi-Fi | Rare |
| Cabin floor | Drop aisle |
At 4.8 ft of cabin height, the Citation V/Ultra is a sit-down jet. Expect to duck moving between seats. The lavatory is belted with a curtain — not a full door.
Operator floor plans vary. Some Citation V/Ultra cabins are configured with a divan that drops the headcount by one or two seats; confirm the layout with the operator before booking.
Range & performance
| Range | 2,300 nm |
| Max cruise | 426 ktas |
| Typical cruise | ~362 ktas |
| Service ceiling | 45,000 ft |
2,300 nm covers most US domestic missions. Coast-to-coast with one stop, transcontinental city pairs east of the Rockies non-stop.
Distances are real great-circle nautical miles from the selected hub. Angular positions are spaced for readability, not actual bearings. Range envelope assumes no wind and a full passenger load.
Charter cost per hour
Charter the Citation V/Ultra at roughly $4,500–$7,500 per flight hour, depending on how far ahead you book. Midsize jets like this carry 7–9 passengers; the per-seat math improves sharply as you fill the cabin.
Rates are flight-hour pricing. Total cost depends on round-trip vs. one-way, positioning, fuel surcharges, and taxes (~15% on top of base). Run the math on your trip →
History
Cessna designed the Citation V (Model 560) by stretching the Citation S/II fuselage 1.5 feet while retaining its supercritical airfoil and swept wing roots. A preproduction prototype flew in 1986; the first engineering prototype flew in August 1987, and the FAA issued type certification on December 9, 1988. Deliveries began in April 1989. Cessna delivered 262 Citation Vs through mid-1994.
Cessna announced the Citation Ultra in September 1993 and received FAA certification in June 1994. The Ultra upgraded to JT15D-5D engines with redesigned compressors, high-pressure turbines, and solid machined fan disks that raised thrust to 3,045 lbs while reducing fuel consumption. Flying magazine named the Ultra its "Best Business Jet" of 1994. Cessna delivered 279 Ultras through 1999. The Citation Encore (certified April 2000) followed with Pratt & Whitney Canada PW535A engines and extended range. Total production across all Model 560 variants reached 774 aircraft through 2011.
Ideal For
- Four to six passengers on routes of 1,500–2,000nm where the Citation V/Ultra covers most US domestic city pairs nonstop at below-midsize-average rates: Dallas to New York (1,370nm), Miami to Chicago (1,190nm), Los Angeles to Denver (850nm)
- Corporate owner-operators who hold Citation V/Ultra type ratings and prioritize low acquisition cost ($1.5M–$3.5M) over maximum speed or cabin width
- Buyers who need midsize range without midsize charter rates: the V/Ultra's $3,500–$4,500/hr sits below the Learjet 60 ($4,000–$5,000/hr) and Hawker 800XP ($4,500–$5,500/hr)
- Passengers who can tolerate a 4.8-foot-wide cabin (same width as a light jet) in exchange for the 2,300nm range and eight-seat capacity
Citation V/Ultra vs Midsize Average
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Citation V and the Citation Ultra?
The Citation Ultra, introduced in 1994, upgraded from the V's JT15D-5A engines to the JT15D-5D with redesigned compressors and turbine components, producing 3,045 lbs of thrust versus 2,900 lbs. The Ultra also received improved avionics. Both share the same airframe and type certificate. For charter passengers the difference is modest; the Ultra offers slightly better climb performance and hot-and-high capability while the V's lower acquisition cost makes it common in owner-operator fleets.
How does the Citation V/Ultra compare to the Learjet 60?
The Learjet 60 is considerably faster (466 vs 426 ktas), has a wider cabin (5.4ft vs 4.8ft), carries the same eight passengers, and has similar range (2,405 vs 2,300nm). Charter rates for the Learjet 60 run higher at $4,000–$5,000/hr; the Learjet 60 also produces far more empty legs (94 active vs zero for the V/Ultra), which frequently discounts that rate. The Citation V/Ultra's advantage is lower charter cost and acquisition price.
What is the Citation V/Ultra's range?
Maximum range is 2,300 nautical miles. That covers Dallas to New York (1,370nm), Chicago to Miami (1,190nm), and Los Angeles to Chicago (1,745nm) nonstop. Seattle to Miami (2,750nm) requires one fuel stop.
Why are there no active empty legs for the Citation V/Ultra?
The 37-aircraft fleet concentrates in corporate owner-operator programs rather than managed charter. Owner-operators fly point-to-point on their own schedules and do not typically list open repositioning legs on charter marketplaces. The Citation V/Ultra is available for direct charter bookings but rarely appears as a spot empty leg.
Available Empty Legs on Citation V/Ultras
Citation V/Ultras for Charter (37)
Where Citation V/Ultras actually fly
ADS-B-tracked flights from the trailing 90 days. Numbers cover aircraft on our charter database; private corporate fleets and operators using PIA registration are not in this count. Methodology →
Top routes
Busiest origins
Most active operators
| Operator | Aircraft | Flights |
|---|---|---|
| Chrysler Aviation Inc | 5 | 486 |
| Aitheras Aviation Group LLC | 4 | 353 |
| AEROCAPITAL FLIGHT SERVICES, LLC | 2 | 320 |
| Premier Air, Inc. | 3 | 234 |
| Venture Aviation Group, LLC | 3 | 173 |
| AIR STAT INC | 1 | 141 |
| FREEMAN CARTER AVIATION LLC | 1 | 100 |
| Aircraft Evaluation & Management Inc. | 1 | 91 |
| Corporate Flight, Inc. | 1 | 90 |
| Avcenter, Inc. | 1 | 69 |
Comparable aircraft
Same category, similar mission profile. The framing below summarizes how each one differs from the Citation V/Ultra on the dimensions that matter most.