At the CitationJet Pilots Conference in Greenbrier, West Virginia, light jet mod specialist Sierra Industries announced its Sapphire Program, which it calls a “comprehensive suite of improvements” for Cessna CitationJets, from the original through the CJ1+. At the heart of the program are two major changes. The Williams engines will be swapped out for the GE Honda Aero Engines HF120, which Sierra says will be quieter, more fuel efficient and more powerful, with longer inspection and overhaul intervals than the original equipment.
The other major element in the Sapphire mod is the BendixKing AeroVue flight deck, based on the company’s impressive Apex suite, as found in the Pilatus PC-12. The AeroVue solution will offer a trio of large LCD displays, ADS-B solutions, synthetic vision and electronic charts, among several other features. The program is in the early stages still, but Sierra expects it to be a popular one with current owners, as the mods will be “a highly competitive option as they approach TBO on their original engines,” said Sierra president and CEO Mark Huffstutler.
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