Cessna Citation I

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The Cessna 500 Citation I is a small US business jet and the starting point of the Citations family. It uses two JT15D turbofan engines and has a straight wing.

Development and design
- In 1968, Cessna announced an eight-seat jet that could operate from smaller airports. The Fanjet 500 prototype first flew on September 15, 1969 and was certified as the 500 Citation on September 9, 1971.
- In 1974, thrust reversers became optional. In 1976, the aircraft gained a higher maximum weight, a larger wing, and other upgrades. The enhanced 500 Citation I had better engines (JT15D-1A), a longer wingspan, a higher service ceiling (41,000 ft), and higher cabin pressure. Many early Citations were upgraded with the new engines.
- The 501 Citation I/SP, a single-pilot version, was certified in early 1977.

Production and variants
- Production ended in 1985. About 689 Citations of all variants were built; roughly 688 were delivered.
- The 500 Citation I and its I/SP variant were the early models that evolved into the larger, faster Citation II and other successors.
- The aircraft is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-1 engines and helped lead to the development of the Citation II.

Role and performance
- The Citation I was designed to sit between the faster but more demanding Learjet and the slower, easier-to-fly King Air. It aimed to be fast enough for business travel while remaining affordable and capable of operating from smaller airports, appealing to owner-pilots.

Pricing (used market)
- By 2018, values varied: older 500s around $300,000; the I/SP variants with options could range from about $695,000 to $1.25 million.