The Cessna Citation II PH-LAB is one of the research aircraft operated Faculty of Aerospace Engineering. It is owned and operated jointly with the National Aerospace Laboratory. Originally designed for executive travel, this Citation has been extensively modified by Delft University of Technology and NLR to serve as a versatile airborne research platform.

Type of aircraft

The Citation II is a twin jet aircraft of conventional aluminium construction. Its two Pratt & Whitney JT15D-4 turbofan engines enable a maximum operating altitude of more than 13 km (43,000 ft) and a maximum cruising speed of 710 km/h (385 KTAS) to be attained. The flight envelope allows a wide range of operations to be performed. Experience has shown that researchers highly appreciate the Citation’s distinct capability to fly at quite low speeds. The Citation features a 10.7 m3 pressurized cabin that may be accessed through a 1.3 m x 0.6 m door. It can accommodate a maximum of eight observers in addition to the two-pilot cockpit crew.